November 27th 2023.
Gary Neville had expected Aston Villa to defeat Tottenham on Sunday, but was surprised by the level of performance Postecoglou's side produced. Despite taking the lead early on, Spurs were ultimately undone by their profligacy, with Villa drawing level on the stroke of half-time before Ollie Watkins grabbed the winner on the hour-mark. The north Londoners created plenty of chances and hit the post twice, but couldn't make them count.
Despite the largely encouraging display, Neville fears that the same approach at the Etihad on Sunday could leave Spurs exposed. He said on The Gary Neville Podcast: "I think City could pull them apart if they're not careful. It will be interesting to see how Postecoglou's team set up at City. I don't think they'll change too much - the way they play is the way they play. That will mean it's an interesting and exciting game, but they could get a bit of a doing if they're not careful and if they don't sort out their defensive work."
Tottenham have been hit by injuries, leaving them with a lack of defensive depth, but Neville believes that Postecoglou's side have been playing good football despite the setbacks. He added: "We watched the first half and that goal just before half-time was critical. Big moment obviously in the game. But Spurs have got injuries, they're still playing good football."
Spurs fans will be hoping that their side can produce a better performance against Manchester City and avoid a potential hiding. With Tottenham's injury issues, it remains to be seen how Postecoglou will set up his team for the game.
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