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How Pep Guardiola’s tactics can put Man City on the front foot and expose Tottenham

Brendon Netto

22:53 16/04/2019

Tottenham travel to the Etihad with a 1-0 first-leg advantage over Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Pep Guardiola must mastermind a victory for his side on the night by creating more opportunities in attack if they are to progress to the semi-finals.

Here, we look at the key tactics he may employ.

Click here for Spurs’ key tactics.

DE BRUYNE IN MIDFIELD

The onus is firmly on City to be on the front foot in this encounter. A one-goal advantage, the absence of Harry Kane and the fact that they’re playing away are all factors that will influence Spurs into absorbing pressure and looking to attack on the break.

Pep Guardiola’s side should enjoy even more than the 59 per cent share of possession they had at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and, in order to capitalise on that, they’ll need the play-making ability of Kevin De Bruyne in the middle of the park.

Guardiola was criticised for benching the Belgian for the first leg who then responded with two assists at Crystal Palace.

MORE WIDTH IN ATTACK

With the amount of possession City are likely to have at the Etihad Stadium, they will need to stretch Tottenham’s defence in order to create openings. As such, Guardiola may be tempted to retain the left flank he deployed at Palace on Sunday. Like De Bruyne, Sane was also a substitute for the first leg with Riyad Mahrez preferred instead.

The Germany international would generate ample width down that left side while Benjamin Mendy’s overlapping runs could do the same and ask more questions of Spurs’ defence.

More importantly, the left-sided duo could force the defence to shuttle across, leaving space for Raheem Sterling to exploit on the far side or open up gaps between centre-backs for David Silva and De Bruyne to take advantage of.

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