Manchester City’s bogey team struck again as Tottenham Hotspur made it eight wins in their last 15 meetings with Pep Guardiola’s side.
From injury updates to Spurs’ solidity, here’s what we saw at the Etihad.
- READ MORE: FPL Gameweek 2: Saturday’s goals, assists, bonus + ‘DefCon’ points
- READ MORE: FPL notes: Palmer injury latest, Pedro haul + West Ham wide open
- ACCESS: Official Opta match data from Man City v Spurs
AIT-NOURI INJURY – NO REAL UPDATE YET
On a weekend of big-name injuries, the third-most-owned FPL defender, Rayan Ait-Nouri (£6.1m), was another casualty.
The former Wolves wing-back lasted just 23 minutes of Saturday’s defeat to Spurs, appearing to twist his ankle before coming off.
Pep Guardiola wasn’t much help after full-time.
“I don’t know, I didn’t speak with the doctors yet.” – Pep Guardiola on Rayan Ait-Nouri
Elsewhere on the fitness front, Rodri (£6.4m) and Phil Foden (£8.0m) returned to the squad. Both came on as 75th-minute substitutes.
Manuel Akanji (£5.5m) and Ilkay Gundogan (£6.4m) missed out this time – but it wasn’t anything injury-related. In a possible portent of things to come, now that City have a bigger squad, it was merely their turn to drop out.
“Last game, it was Rodri and Phil [Foden] out. I said many times, with a deeper squad, I have to rotate. Next time, maybe it will be another one.” – Pep Guardiola
HAALAND HAS HIS CHANCES
Erling Haaland (£14.1m) experienced a surge in demand ahead of Gameweek 2, recruited by over 500,000 FPL managers and rising in price.
He blanked but he really shouldn’t have done: he missed a sitter of a header, saw Omar Marmoush (£8.4m) spurn a big chance from his glorious through-ball, then somehow managed to overhit a simple pass to Rayan Cherki (£6.5m) that would have left the France international with a routine finish.
Haaland finished with a higher non-penalty expected goal involvement (NPxGI) than any other forward in Gameweek 2 so far:
City had other chances beyond those involving Haaland, with Marmoush racing through to send an early chance from a narrow angle wide. There were a few close-run things from set plays, too.
It was far from the free-flowing display of last week but at least one goal should have arrived.
As for Tijjani Reijnders (£5.6m), we mentioned in the Scout Notes last weekend that “there will be times when Guardiola uses Reijnders differently” and “Pep Guardiola uses a ’10’ ahead of him”. That was the case here, with Rayan Cherki (£6.5m) brought into the side.
Reinders barely set foot into the Spurs box but as much as anything tactical, his decision-making was a bit off; he had a bit of a stinker, truth be told. It’s perhaps telling, though, that he and Haaland were the only midfielders/forwards to stay on and last 90 minutes.
PEP ON TRAFFORD V EDERSON
James Trafford (£5.0m) kept his place between the sticks despite the return to fitness of Ederson (£5.5m).
After a solid showing last weekend, Trafford made a horrendous rick for Spurs’ second goal on Saturday, with Joao Palhinha (£5.5m) taking advantage.
Some argued that Trafford could have received his marching orders before that error, rushing headlong to meet Mohammed Kudus (£6.5m).
“He made a good first game, James, and I decided to continue. When I take decisions, normally in the first part of the season – not just for the ‘keeper, the ‘keeper is a special position, of course, to have more consistency in the goal, but for all the players – when you play one or two [games], everyone thinks: ‘OK, this is the starting line-up, these are the players that are going to play’. I’ve learned from many years, this amount of games, everyone will play. It was just today I decided that.” – Pep Guardiola, when asked on his rationale behind sticking with James Trafford in goal despite Ederson being fit
It wasn’t just the goalkeeper who deserved some stick. Playing a high line with no pacy defenders was questionable. Will Pep learn his lesson for Gameweek 3 against another team that defends from the front, Brighton?
FRANK ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CLEAN SHEETS
It was from a high-line-piercing move that Spurs took the lead, with Richarlison (£6.6m) crossing for Brennan Johnson (£7.0m). After going 2-0 up from Trafford’s howler, you’d have forgiven the Lilywhites for sitting back on their advantage.
But still they came, threatening to score their third as much as City were a lifeline.
There are caveats from two years ago when a new manager swept into north London, breathing new life into a stale club. The honeymoon period didn’t last then, save for a final Europa League romance.
But Thomas Frank is a bit more measured than his predecessor and more tactically malleable. It’s not to say Spurs are going to be top-four contenders but having more than one way of playing should give them more of a chance.
And, in good news for those of us who own Spurs defenders in FPL, Frank seems more concerned with clean sheets.
“Second half, I think we were very good. The big spell where we could think that they would put pressure on us, I think we were very aggressive in the high pressure. I thought that we were very front-footed, with the mindset to constantly go for the 3-0 goal.
“And then, then I must say that the clean sheet makes me very happy. It’s a big thing we’ve been working on, not on clean sheets as that’s easier said than done, but on the defensive side of the game, high pressure, middle block, low block, defend the box, mentality, blocking shots, everything.
“Because if you get clean sheets, you’re closer to winning a game. Also last year we had six clean sheets, so yeah, that’s very big for me.” – Thomas Frank
“Defensive side of the game, be brave in phase one and two, and set pieces.” – Thomas Frank on his three key principles in Gameweek 2
PORRO THREATENS RETURNS
Frank stressing the importance of defending and set pieces? That’s music to the ears of Pedro Porro (£5.5m) owners.
Twice Porro set up Richarlison for good chances, once from open play and once from a dead-ball situation. The Spanish full-back was also on direct free-kicks, seeing his effort hit the wall before he lashed the follow-up just wide.
Elsewhere in defence, Guglielmo Vicario (£5.0m) emulated his Gameweek 1 achievements with a second successive nine-point haul.
Above: Vicario sits atop the goalkeeper standings after two Gameweeks
Cristian Romero (£5.0m) was the only one on show to bank DefCon points, meanwhile.
RICHARLISON V SOLANKE
Richarlison had some decent headed opportunities but at least he banked an assist, and now sits joint-top of the FPL forwards table.
It was another strong line-leading performance from the Brazilian, who looks set to keep Dominic Solanke (£7.4m) out of the side for a third week running.
Rotation could beckon when the Champions League kicks in after Gameweek 4, of course.
“Again, I think Richie performed well today. Top assist, presence up there, work ethic. Everything was very, very, very good about it.
“We need two good strikers, we’re going to play a lot of games. And, of course, Richie is now starting, so he just needs to keep his shirt.” – Thomas Frank on Richarlison
Johnson, meanwhile, made it two goals in as many Gameweeks – and from his only two shots in the box of 2025/26.
Above: Johnson v Kudus in the opening two Gameweeks – goalscorer versus assister?
