Buoyant Tottenham face first real test of credentials at City

LONDON : Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed their best ever start to a Premier League season and opened their Champions League campaign with a win this week but Antonio Conte's side face the ultimate test of their credentials at Manchester City on Saturday.

They travel to The Etihad for the evening kickoff (1630GMT) knowing victory would put them top of the table after seven games but Pep Guardiola's reigning champions will feel they have unfinished business with the Londoners.

Remarkably, given the sky-high standards City have set in the past few seasons, Spurs have won four of the last five Premier League clashes between the sides.

Last season Tottenham claimed a notable double, winning 1-0 at home under the short-lived management of Nuno Espirito Santo and then claimed a remarkable 3-2 victory away in February when Harry Kane scored a last-gasp winner.

Spurs have won four of their opening six league games, piling up the points despite the impression that there is far more to come from Conte's team.

City's record is identical but they sit above Tottenham in second place owing to a superior goal difference.

Both City and Spurs enjoyed Champions League wins against Sevilla (4-0) and Olympique Marseille (2-0) respectively this week and on paper they look fairly evenly matched.

The reality is, however, that whereas City have a squad brimming with proven winners, Tottenham's players are still trying to prove they can claim silverware for the club.

Guardiola once rather disparagingly describe Spurs as the "Harry Kane team" but while Kane has five goals this season, Conte's side are not totally reliant on the England skipper, nor strike partner Son Heung-min who is yet to open his account.

Richarlison, signed for a reported 60 million