Spurs head to the Etihad off the back of three consecutive defeats to Chelsea, Wolves and Aston Villa.
In all three games, Spurs took the lead but fell foul of some risky defending as the side stuck to the high-line philosophy that Postecoglou has installed at the club.
This issue was especially notable in the loss to Chelsea, with Nicolas Jackson easily able to break through the lines and score a hat-trick in the dying minutes against the Lilywhites who had been reduced to nine-men at this point.
The high-risk, attacking tactics worked a charm at the start of the season, but the severe injury and suspension crisis has ruled many key stars out and the players who have come into the team aren’t implementing them as well.
‘There’s no way Tottenham can go and play the way they do against Man City. Great managers change things up,’ Arsenal legend Merson wrote in his Sky Sports column.
‘I like Ange, he’s a top manager. He’s come into the Premier League to a big club and said he’s going to play his way, front-foot football – and I have all the respect in the world for him doing that.
But when you haven’t got the players, you’ve got to take a step back. When he’s got his full team, 100 per cent play like he’s playing.
‘I remember many years ago I was in the studio when Arsenal went to Old Trafford. Arsene Wenger, never sits back, plays on the front foot. He’d got about seven injuries, played exactly the same way, got beat 8-2. 8-2. That’s not clever.
‘You’ve got to play to your strengths. Sometimes you’ve got to say, ‘you know what, it’s not right to do that this weekend’, and they’ve got to change it up.’
Among those unavailable against the Citizens are midfielders James Maddison and Rodrigo Bentancur and first-choice centre-back duo Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven.
The recent results have seen Spurs lose their spot at the top of the table and slip to fifth, three points behind second-placed City.
Merson added: ‘Lose this game, that’s four on the trot. For the last four games with those injuries, at least three of them you’ve got to rein it in and think about nicking a point here, a point there, and maybe nick a win on the way too.
‘But trying to win all three of those games… Sometimes you just haven’t got the players. The fans aren’t silly, they’ve seen enough of it over the years at Tottenham.
‘They know he’s trying to entertain, but if you’ve not got Robbie Williams’ voice you’re not selling out Knebworth.
‘Manchester City couldn’t cope with the injuries Tottenham have got. Eight players out, and a lot of those are key players too. If they go to the Etihad and open the game up they’ll ship five, I’ve got no doubt.’
MORE : Tottenham not interested in loan offers for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg amid Manchester United links
MORE : Jurgen Klopp gives worrying injury update on key Liverpool duo Alisson Becker and Diogo Jota
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Share your story or advertise with us: Whatsapp: +2347068606071 Email: info@newspotng.com
