Manchester City have been handed the perfect pick-me-up as they look to snap their four-match losing streak when they take on Tottenham in Saturday’s tea-time clash.
The club ended the international break by confirming on Thursday evening that Pep Guardiola has put pen to paper on a new two-year contract that will see him remain at the Etihad until 2027, leaving fans buzzing at the announcement.
The new deal ends any fears that the Catalan could walk away at the end of the current season and underlines his ambition to not only turn around the club’s current poor run, but to continue to evolve his City side and establish new rivalries with the likes of Arne Slot at Liverpool, Enzo Maresca at Chelsea and new Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim.
First up though, is an Etihad clash against a Tottenham side that knocked City out of the Carabao Cup last month, a defeat which kick-started this run of four straight losses.
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Chris Sutton predictions Manchester City vs Tottenham Hotspur
Ahead of Saturday’s match, Chris Sutton has shared his thoughts of what Guardiola’s new deal means for City and the rest of the Premier League and also predicted how the Spurs clash will pan out.
“It’s safe to say Pep Guardiola has severely irritated the rest of the footballing public by agreeing his contract extension with Manchester City,” he writes on the BBC.
“You can just imagine the groans from Liverpool, north London and the red half of Manchester, because they know how dominant City have been under him.
“City are not playing well at the moment, which is why they are on this run of four straight defeats in all competitions. People have been looking at them as if the wheels are coming off, but they are still second and only five points off the top.
“I do think Pep’s new deal will give them a boost, and I am expecting them to bounce back.
“Tottenham have also been described as a ‘crisis club’ this season but they are still only three points off third place.
“The table is so congested that anyone in mid-table who wins a couple of games in a row is going to be right up there, but I don’t see Spurs getting anything at the Etihad Stadium.
“There will be goals in this game, because Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou will not change his approach. He has already beaten City once this season, in the Carabao Cup, but I think Pep will come out on top this time.”
Chris Sutton’s prediction: 3-1
Guardiola set to get huge reception at the Etihad
The timing of Guardiola’s deal is telling, as it will now doubt mean the atmosphere at the Etihad is electric for the Saturday early evening clash.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  LiverpoolLiverpool | 11 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 6 | 15 | 28 |
| 2 | Man CityManchester City | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 22 | 13 | 9 | 23 |
| 3 |  ChelseaChelsea | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 21 | 13 | 8 | 19 |
| 4 |  ArsenalArsenal | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 19 |
| 5 |  Nottm ForestNottingham Forest | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 19 |
City need a lift after their recent run and the combination of Guardiola’s new deal, plus the recovery time his injured and fatigued players will have had over the international break will hand the side two significant boosts.
City fans are also being given the chance to welcome Rodri back to the stadium as he will be presented pre-match with his Ballon d’Or trophy as the club celebrate his achievement before kick-off.
