Mark Lawrenson believes that Fernandinho could be key to stifling Tottenham’s hopes of overcoming Manchester City for a second time in a week.
The Brazilian started on the bench for City in the breathless 4-3 clash at the Etihad on Wednesday night, but Lawrenson believes that Pep Guardiola will reintroduce him from the off on Saturday to prevent another cricket score.
Speaking to BBC Sport, he said: “Surely City won’t be as open in this game as they were on Wednesday night – they cannot afford to invite any more chaos this time.
“With Harry Kane out injured, City must have known Spurs would want to play on the break with pace so I did not understand why Fernandinho did not start, because his game is all about protecting their back two or back four.
“City have got enough players who can go and win them the game without being so gung-ho about it, and I thought they missed the Brazilian midfielder in that crazy opening spell when Son Heung-min scored twice. So I would expect Fernandinho to start on Saturday and, if he is patrolling those deep midfield areas, I think City will control the game this time far better than they did in midweek.”
Lawrenson predicts a 2-0 loss for Tottenham.
OPINION
Tottenham fans must have been clapping their hands when Fernandinho didn’t start against them on Wednesday. The midfield general is the unsung hero of that City side, breaking up play and setting them off up the other end of the field with his simple and effective passing. Basically, he is in the side to prevent exactly the kind of end to end free-for-all that we saw in midweek. Whatever Pep’s reasons for omitting him, Spurs won’t be as lucky again, and you can’t help feeling that Lawro might be right, and that this might be one game too far for them. That being said, if things are tighter, and if this becomes a war of attrition, that could suit Spurs in a roundabout sort of way. There were spells on Wednesday where they were camped on the edge of their own box, and, occasional scare aside, they actually looked pretty solid. If they could nick a goal on the break, they might get something here.