Sat 14 August 2021, 17:00
Tottenham HotspurWelcome to the Notebook a new feature for 2021/22 where we'll pull everything you need to know about a forthcoming fixture into one melting pot here on tottenhamhotspur.com - stats, facts, team news and quotes.
First up, our huge opening match of the Premier League campaign as reigning champions Manchester City arrive at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday (4.30pm).
1 - Welcome back!
On Sunday, we'll welcome back supporters for our biggest crowd since March, 2020, having played the vast majority of matches over the last 18 months behind closed doors due to the pandemic. The last time we saw a near-capacity crowd at our north London home was 527 days ago when we hosted Norwich City in the FA Cup fifth round.
58,007 supporters were in the stadium that Wednesday night, 4 March. Just nine days later, football came to a halt as the season was suspended in light of the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic before it resumed in June, 2020, but with fans only able to watch on from home. It will be great to see you all again!
2 - Home sweet home
We've a proud record against City at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, winning three out of three since moving into our new home in April, 2019. The first meeting was in the dramatic Champions League quarter-final that month, as Heung-Min Son scored the first European goal in the stadium before striking twice away to take us through to the semi-finals.
In the Premier League, a debut strike from Steven Bergwijn and another Sonny goal secured a 2-0 win in February, 2020, followed by another 2-0 victory last season, when Sonny was on target again alongside Giovani Lo Celso, in November, 2020.
The Citizens have lost 15 away matches against us in the Premier League to date. They have only lost more against Liverpool in the competition (16).
3 - Son shines against City
Heung-Min Son has quite a record against City with goals in all three of our meetings to date at Tottenham Hotspur. Indeed, since signing in 2015, the South Korean star has only scored more goals in all competitions against Southampton (11) than he has against the Citizens.
4 - Debuts for new boys?
Steven Bergwijn made a spectacular Premier League debut against City in February, 2020 with a sweet volley to open the scoring in a 2-0 victory. Could history repeat itself? Our three new arrivals Pierluigi Gollini, Bryan Gil and Cristian Romero are all in the frame to be part of Sunday's squad, although Nuno Espirito Santo will make late decisions on Gil and Romero, who joined the squad later this summer after their international commitments.
5 - History for Hugo?
If selected, Hugo Lloris will join our record Premier League appearance-maker Darren Anderton on 299 in the competition. Darren racked up his 299 between 1992-2004, his first season at Spurs coinciding with the first season of the Premier League, now entering its 30th campaign. Hugo became our first goalkeeper to record 100 clean sheets in the Premier League last season. He's up to 373 appearances in all competitions after joining us in 2012.
6 - Sonny raring to go
Off the back of a very productive pre-season, in which he was involved in seven of our 10 goals (scoring three and assisting four), Heung-Min Son cannot wait to get our Premier League campaign underway this weekend - especially as we face a side he holds such a strong record against. “It is a huge game, we’re at home against one of the best teams in the world, and City are always tough to play against,” said Sonny. “I always look forward to these games - really tough, but let’s use our home advantage. We want to win this game and start the season in a positive way, that’s our aim.”
I always look forward to these games, really tough, but let’s use our home advantage.
7 - Opening day delights
We've played City three times on the opening day of the season - and remain unbeaten. Gary Lineker struck twice and Paul Gascoigne once in a 3-1 win at the Lane in 1990/91 and we took a share of the spoils in 1995/96 (1-1) and 2010/11 (0-0). It's worth noting that since that most recent opening day meeting, City have won the first game of each of their last 10 campaigns - that is the joint-longest such run in top flight history, alongside Aston Villa (1891/92 to 1900/01).
8 - Nuno's view
Sunday ushers in a new dawn for the Club as Nuno Espirito Santo takes charge of his first competitive game as our Head Coach. Each of our last four managers have won their first match, but the task could not be tougher for Nuno as we kick-off against the reigning Premier League champions. Nuno expects a tough test from Pep Guardiola’s side, however his mind is solely focussed on us. “It's about us, the things we want to do in the game, the way we want to compete," he said. "We are focussed on ourselves and trying to be a good team. One thing is clear, we are ready. It’s about that, being ready.”
We start with City and it's about us. We know we are going to face a tough opponent, a quality opponent but it's about us
“We expect a tough match, a very tough match. Of course, (City have) quality players and a very talented squad. We expect a tough match like all the matches in Premier League. All the squads have very good players.
“We have to play all the opponents of the Premier League two times. We start with City and it's about us. We know we are going to face a tough opponent, a quality opponent but it's about us. The things we want to do in the game, and how we want to compete.”
9 - Team news
Nuno Espirito Santo is expected to make late decisions on several of our players ahead of the game, including Cristian Romero, Bryan Gil and Harry Kane. Meanwhile, Japhet Tanganga, who was forced off late with an issue in our Mind Series win over Arsenal on Sunday, and Ryan Sessegnon, injured early in pre-season, have both returned to training this week.
City manager Pep Guardiola also faces a late decision ahead of the game with doubts over the fitness of talisman Kevin de Bruyne. The creative midfielder picked up an injury in Belgium’s Euro 2020 campaign yet, while he's back in training, his fitness remains a work in progress. England man Phil Foden will be unavailable as he continues his recovery from a foot injury.
10 - View from City
After a busy summer for many Premier League players with international duties, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is expecting it to take time for his side to hit their full stride this season. City had 16 players take part in Euro 2020 and the Copa America, delaying their return to pre-season and, therefore, preparations for the new campaign.
“We need time, like it was last season and the previous season, and every pre-season is like this,” Guardiola explained. “We decide some players come back later than usual because I think they need rest mentally and physically after a tough, tough season, but the way they behave, so far, is exceptional as always. I’m pretty sure, hopefully sooner than later, we’re going to (be in) the best condition.”
