When Ange Postecoglou doubled down on his “second season trophy” remarks, it of course was going to keep the spotlight on every non-Premier League fixture for Tottenham Hotspur. The Europa League remains a viable path for silverware, but as always are the domestic cups as well, which have eluded double-digit Spurs managers since the last tournament victory.
Cup runs often come down to the draw, and it Tottenham’s hopes in the 2024/25 League Cup took a big hit when the ping pong balls came up with Manchester City. However, winning a trophy means beating the best teams at some point, so that might as well be now. Even a rotated City side (of which I am dubious) is no pushover, so Postecoglou will have to feature a strong XI if he wants to advance.
Fourth Round: Tottenham Hotspur vs. Manchester City
Date: Wednesday, October 30
Time: 4:15 pm ET, 8:15 pm UK
Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
TV: Paramount+ (USA), Sky Sports Main Event (UK)
It is difficult to say too many specifics about City when it is unclear how closely Pep Guardiola will stick to his word. As a reminder, after last month’s win over Watford — and before the Fourth Round draw — Guardiola stated: “The next round, I announce to you, I will play the second team. We are not going to waste energy, for sure.” Now, this is a manager who excels in mind games; his quote was also before he knew who his opponent was going to be. I expect rotation, because all sides rotate some for cups, but to what extent is unclear.
This has obviously been one of Tottenham’s best fixtures over the recent period, but City has actually won the last two meetings. Last January, the teams met in North London in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup, as a late Nathan Ake goal gave the visitors the narrow win. The sides met again at the new Lane in the match Spurs supporters were happy to concede. That outcome probably does not have much bearing on Wednesday.
Who you want to be
Lately, Tottenham has seen the cups as a distraction from the top-four hunt and in some ways beneath the club’s overall ambitions. Though the trophy drought persists, supporters seek bigger glories, claiming a League Cup title will not stop the banter or quench their greater aspirations. However, it might be time to reevaluate and recognize this is a viable, and respectable, path.
City is not going to throw out its strongest XI. Even a lineup littered with academy products is likely to have some serious talent, but getting this tie at home against an less-motivated side looks like a real advantage. Meanwhile, Spurs just barely escaped against Coventry City last round after a pair of goals in the last 10 minutes. The starting lineup was mostly the backups, and Postecoglou was forced to bring on the likes of Heung-Min Son, James Maddison, and Dejan Kulusevski to rescue the match.
Postecoglou absolutely must keep his eye on the league after yet another terrible outing, but he cannot afford to tank this competition midweek. If he is serious about taking this club to the next level, he needs to get this win and move onward, and that requires fielding a strong side — even if that feels uncomfortable. Rest is valuable but opportunities for something tangible this season are limited. Exiting the League Cup in October would be yet another addition to a growing list of frustrations.
