Our prediction for this FA Cup match:
All eyes will be on Tottenham Hotspur Stadium when Spurs and Man City lock horns in the FA Cup last 32. Tottenham head into the match following a 2-2 draw with Manchester United and they face yet another tough challenge against Pep Guardiola’s troops. Yves Bissouma has yet to serve his ban, while both Heung-Min Son and Pape Sarr are on international duty. Ivan Perisic has joined his childhood club Hajduk Split on loan, while both James Maddison and Giovani Lo Celso remain in the recovery room.
The Citizens, on the other hand, came from behind to beat Newcastle United 3-2 in their last league match. Even though top scorer Erling Haaland is unlikely to be risked in Friday’s clash, we are tempted to place our bets on the star-studded visitors as Kevin De Bruyne returns to the starting XI. Manuel Akanji is a major doubt, while fellow defender John Stones misses out with an ankle injury.
Highlighted Player (Nathan Ake):
Ake is a professional footballer who plays for the Dutch National Team and AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The versatile defender who was born on the 18th of February, 1995, started his youth career in 2003 with local club ADO Den Haag. He then moved to Feyenoord in 2007 before joining Chelsea's youth academy four years later.
Ake made his first professional appearance at the age of 17, playing for the Blues in a 0-1 away victory against Norwich on the 26th of December, 2012. Barring a few starts and substitute appearances, Ake spent his next few years at Chelsea mostly in the reserves before being sent out on a one month loan to Reading in 2015. Upon his return, he immediately joined Watford on a season-long loan where his displays earned him the Watford's young player of the season award. Another successful loan spell at Bournemouth succeeded his time at Watford before Chelsea recalled him in January 2017.
At the start of the 17/18 season, the 24-year-old rejoined his current club Bournemouth permanently on a five-year contract worth 20 million pounds. On the International stage, Ake has represented the Netherlands at every youth level and has even captained the under-17 and under-19 sides. He made his first senior appearance on the 31st of May, 2017, featuring in Hollands 2-1 friendly win over Morocco.
Highlighted Team (Tottenham):
Tottenham Hotspur are a professional football club based in North London. Spurs host their rivals at White Hart Lane and the capacity of the stadium is 36,284. Tottenham won the Premier League (First Division) trophy in 1950/1951 and 1960/1961 and despite producing terrific displays in the 2015/2016 campaign Mauro Pochettino’s team eventually finished the season in third place in the standings.
Tottenham’s bitter rivals are Arsenal, but Chelsea and West Ham United are regarded as the team’s fierce opponents as well. Spurs have won eight FA Cup trophies, with the team also lifting the 1962/1963 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup title.
Tottenham Hotspur hammered Atletico Madrid in the final of the competition back then (5-1). The likes of David Ginola, Sol Campbell, Teddy Sheringham, Jurgen Klinsmann, Gary Lineker, Luka Modric, Robbie Keane and Gareth Bale are star players that used to play for the White Hart Lane outfit in the past. The colour of Tottenham Hotspur’s home kit is white.