Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has warned his side of the "quality" Tottenham possess as he claims they will be prepared for a "tough" clash on Thursday night. It comes as both sides will be licking their wounds after their respective derby day defeats suffered at the weekend.
City were on the end of a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United, where a highly controversial Bruno Fernandes goal and a late Marcus Rashford finish sunk the Citizens. Spurs were on the end of their own sucker punch too, falling to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of rivals Arsenal at home.
"You know when you're playing against I think the best team in the world at the moment it will be very difficult," Antonio Conte said on the challenge ahead for his team. "Last season we were very good, showed great resilience. Also in this type of game, you need also to be a bit lucky to get a good result."
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There appears to be a mutual respect between the two clubs going into the clash, with two of the next three Premier League matches being against one another. Guardiola has been particularly cautious heading into the opener, claiming Spurs have plenty of quality, having been on the end of a defeat to them last season.
He told reporters: "[The Tottenham match is] Not about what happens vs [Manchester] United or the table. Spurs have always been a tough opponent. Their quality, this year is not an exception. Important to win the game."
It remains to be seen how the match at the Etihad Stadium will end, even if many have an idea of how it is likely to play out over the course of the 90 minutes. With both teams in desperate need of a boost to chase down their goals, it's likely to be an intense clash to come.
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