SlipsTips examines the Bet Builder market ahead of Manchester City’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Saturday evening.
Manchester City vs Tottenham Hotspur (Saturday, 17:30)
Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur will go toe-to-toe in a mouthwatering Premier League encounter at the Etihad on Saturday evening.
Pep Guardiola's side will be aiming to put the brakes on a four-game losing run across all competitions, the most recent of which saw them slump to a 2-1 defeat away at Brighton, leaving the reigning champions five points behind Liverpool.
As for tenth-placed Tottenham, a 2-1 defeat at home to Ipswich last time out typified the inconsistency that has plagued their season so far.
However, all of the necessary ingredients would appear to be in place for an action-packed encounter on Saturday evening, and I’ve put together a player-based Bet Builder double that holds plenty of appeal.
Yves Bissouma To Commit 1+ Foul
For the opening leg of the Bet Builder, I’ll back Yves Bissouma to commit a minimum of one foul on Saturday evening. Bissouma will be patrolling the space just in front of the Spurs backline at the Etihad and he should have plenty of defensive work to get through against star-studded City. Despite being used sparingly by Ange Postecoglou this season, the Mali international has racked up five yellow cards across his 10 starts this term to date. One of those cautions was collected against Man City in the EFL Cup last month, on a night where Bissouma committed multiple fouls.
The tough-tackling midfielder also fell foul of the referee in his most recent outing against Ipswich, despite featuring for just six minutes as a substitute. On top of this, the 28-year-old has averaged one foul per-game across his three appearances for Tottenham in this season’s Europa League. With all that in mind, Bissouma looks like a prime candidate to give away at least one free-kick against a Man City side that may feel like they have a bit of a point to prove on Saturday evening.
Dejan Kulusevski To Be Fouled 1 Or More Times
Dejan Kulusevski has arguably been Tottenham’s standout performer in the Premier League this season. That has coincided with the Swedish ace finding himself on the receiving end of some rough treatment from opposition defences. Kulusevski has drawn a combined total of 14 fouls across his opening 11 Premier League appearances of the season. In fact, the Spurs playmaker has earned his side a minimum of one free-kick in all bar one of his 11 top-flight outings this term to date.
It's also worth noting that Kulusevski was fouled once when Tottenham dumped Man City out of the Carabao Cup at the tail end of October, not to mention he also picked up a free-kick for his side in last season’s corresponding Premier League fixture between the pair. Furthermore, Mateo Kovacic is likely to be tasked with trying to keep Kulusevski quiet , and that only adds to the appeal of supporting this selection on Saturday evening. The fiery midfielder has been reprimanded by the referee in three of his last four starts for Man City.
Recommended Bet
- Yves Bissouma To Commit 1+ Foul
- Dejan Kulusevski To Be Fouled 1 or More Times
- Bet Builder – 17/20 (Betfair)
Freelance Sports Writer and Betting Analyst with over five years experience. I’ve written football and darts betting content for some of the biggest betting websites and newspapers in the UK. With a strong passion for the fascinating world of Scottish football, I also regularly feature in Nutmeg, the much-loved Scottish football magazine. Falkirk season ticket holder and avid watcher of football and darts, whether it be UK-based or further afield. Feel free to follow me on X @SlipsTips
