Premier League leaders Manchester City face another big test on Monday evening as they travel to Wembley Stadium to take on Tottenham Hotspur.
Despite all the negativity surrounding Spurs of late, victory in this weekend's final top-flight fixture will lift them above their opponents in the table.
Tottenham Hotspur
© ReutersOn the verge of exiting the Champions League with just half of their group games played, questions over boss Mauricio Pochettino's future refusing to go away, and further delays to their new stadium, it is easy to see why this has been a bad week for Spurs.
Yet amid all the negativity, Pochettino has rightly pointed out that his side have made their best-ever start to a Premier League campaign in terms of points accrued, having won seven of their nine matches so far.
Since suffering back-to-back defeats at the hands of Watford and Liverpool in September, leading to the first 'crisis' of their season, Spurs have responded in style by racking up four successive wins to claw themselves to within two points of pacesetters Man City and Liverpool.
Tottenham have been tough to break down domestically, conceding just once across those four matches, although they have faced sides currently sitting 12th, 19th, 17th and 14th in that time. Monday's clash with the champions, then, is a real step up in quality.
With Chelsea also visiting Wembley in the next month, and a trip to North London rivals Arsenal to look forward to in the first few days of December, Tottenham's resolve is about to be seriously tested.
In the view of Pochettino, Spurs will not face a trickier test all season than this showdown with City, who he believes are the best team in England and quite possibly anywhere on the continent.
Opposite number Pep Guardiola has returned the compliments, much like he did ahead of both league meetings last season, by admitting that Tottenham are one of his favourite sides to watch.
The respect may be mutual, but on the field it is Guardiola who has the upper hand. In their 13 previous encounters as managers, the Catalan coach has tasted defeat just twice, and he could win three in a row against Pochettino for the first time with victory on Monday.
Pochettino knows that the 2-2 draw away at PSV Eindhoven in midweek was not good enough, effectively condemning the Lilywhites to Europa League football at best at their new home when it does finally open, but to respond with all three points early next week would put all of the club's problems into context.
Recent form in Premier League: LLWWWW
Recent form (all competitions): WWWLWWD
Manchester City
© ReutersLast week's 5-0 thrashing of Burnley, when five different goalscorers registered, took Man City's unbeaten run in the Premier League to 15 matches since a 3-2 loss to Manchester United in April.
Just six goals have been conceded during that spell, and never more than one in a game, while 42 goals have been netted at the other end of the field.
Guardiola has put together a team that can perfectly combined attack and defence, leaving his side on course to become the first side to retain the top-flight crown since neighbours Man United in 2008-09.
Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool are the only teams to have stopped the Citizens from picking up maximum points this term, earning 1-1 and 0-0 draws in late August and early October respectively, while in all competitions it is just one defeat in 14 overall.
Guardiola hit out at his players following that solitary loss, coming in City's opening Champions League match at home to Lyon, but the warning has certainly been heeded as the ex-Barcelona boss has seen his side run riot in their seven matches since then.
City tend to fare well on their trips to the capital, too, going six unbeaten in London and winning on each of their last four trips there. Indeed, victory this weekend would make them the first non-London team to win five in a row in the capital during the Premier League era.
Having romped to the title last time out, however, eventually finishing with a record 19-point gap on closest challengers Man United, it appears as though things are going to be far tighter this time around if the opening few months are anything to go by.
Liverpool have pushed on from last season and are level on points with City after nine games, and Chelsea are also keeping pace to ensure that three teams remain unbeaten at this stage for the first time in the competition's history.
The pressure is therefore on Guardiola's men ahead of this latest top-six showdown, with Liverpool hosting Cardiff City and Chelsea travelling to Burnley this weekend, but you certainly would not bet against the champions turning on the style yet again when all eyes are on them.
Recent form in Premier League: WWWDWW
Recent form (all competitions): WWWDWW
Team News
© ReutersKevin De Bruyne made his first start of the season in midweek as City swept Shakhtar Donetsk, and the Belgian playmaker is in line to feature six days on from that trek to the Ukraine.
Guardiola left Sergio Aguero on the bench for that latest Champions League win and is therefore expected to recall his leading scorer on Monday, but questions remain over the fitness of Kyle Walker.
Walker missed the 5-0 win over Burnley but returned as a sub against Shakhtar, giving hope that the right-back can slot back in against the Lilywhites.
Elsewhere, Fabian Delph is back in training and could be included in the squad, but Danilo is still recovering from an ankle injury sustained on international duty earlier this month.
In terms of the home side, Dele Alli and Danny Rose are closing in on a return to first-team action following a month on the sidelines, potentially giving Pochettino a decision to make at both ends of the field.
Pochettino already has plenty of other options in attacking midfield, though, including Lucas Moura, Christian Eriksen and Erik Lamela, while Son Heung-min was given the nod against PSV.
Jan Vertonghen remains out with a thigh injury and forgotten striker Vincent Janssen is also ruled out for the long term.
Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Walker, Otamendi, Laporte, Mendy; De Bruyne, Fernandinho, D.Silva; Mahrez, Aguero, Sterling
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Trippier, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Davies; Dier, Dembele; Lamela, Eriksen, Moura; Kane
Head To Head
Tottenham have lost 10 of their last 15 top-flight meetings with City, having previously lost just three of their first 27 against them.
Only two of the last 28 Premier League encounters have ended as draws, with Tottenham winning 15 to the Citizens' 11.
Last season's match at Wembley Stadium finished in a 3-1 win for City in April, proving enough for them to wrap up the title that weekend, while the reverse game at the Etihad Stadium finished in a 4-1 victory for Guardiola's men.
We say: Tottenham Hotspur 0-1 Manchester City
Tottenham have won seven and lost none of their last nine Premier League matches on a Monday night, with their most recent defeat on the first day of the week coming against Norwich City in April 2012. The Lilywhites can be considered second favourites for this clash with the division's leaders, however, and it is hard to see past anything other than another Man City win in a fixture that they have dominated in recent years.
