Pep Guardiola has already avoided Man City 'mistake' before Tottenham fixture

Manchester City resume their Premier League charge against Tottenham on Sunday afternoon (4.30pm).

In what promises to be an all-action showdown, the north Londoners head to the Etihad Stadium with as many as nine players absent through injury. City have been hit with their own setbacks in that respect this season, but they are missing only Matheus Nunes (muscular) and Belgium captain Kevin De Bruyne (hamstring) for this one.

Pep Guardiola and his treble-winners were in second place before this latest matchday got underway. Here are the five main talking points ahead of the Tottenham match.

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John Stones has been carrying the drinks for City in recent games and the England international has totted-up just 258 minutes in the Premier League this season. However, after overcoming a troublesome hip injury, Stones is now in contention to return to the side and take up his hybrid role.

"He's much better and close to coming back, said Guardiola at his press conference. "He'll be with us."

City have not exactly missed Stones this campaign as they continue on their merry way, but his impending return for the action-packed winter programme is bad news for their title rivals. At a time when injuries are piling up right across the board, City are welcoming key players back into the mix, and it's ominous for the rest.

Guardiola famously once branded Tottenham as 'the Harry Kane team' - but the north Londoners have been made to go in a different direction this season. Kane was allowed to sign for Bayern Munich and continues to score goals galore with 22 in 18 appearances for the Bundesliga champions in all competitions so far.

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