City all set to face challengers Spurs
MANCHESTER City look to extend the second-longest winning run in Premier League history when they host Tottenham Hotspur this weekend.
The two-time defending league champions started their latest campaign in dominating fashion last weekend by thrashing West Ham 5-0.
It was their 15th consecutive league win, three short of their own record set in the 2017/18 season, and Kevin de Bruyne feels they must maintain their intensity each time out to keep it going.
“You can always improve but the main thing you must do as a team is stay constant,” the midfielder said.
“To improve is more individual, but as a team to do much, much better than we did in the last two years is nearly impossible.”
City face Tottenham in their home opener tomorrow, a rematch of last season’s Champions League quarter-final which saw the London side progress on away goals.
Tottenham also won their opener over promoted Aston Villa 3-1 but were made to work, scoring all of their goals in the final 17 minutes.
Spurs are the favourite of many to finish behind the top two of City and Liverpool, and Harry Kane, who scored twice against Villa, says his side believes it can challenge for the title.
“We kept up with them for a while last year but they blew ahead after January,” the striker said.
“We have to make sure we get off to a good start. It’s important that we stay in touch as long as we can.
“We have full belief that we can go all the way but there’s a long road ahead and we’ve got to be fully focused.”
Liverpool looked every bit as good as Man City in rolling past promoted Norwich 4-1 to kick off their campaign.
The Reds next travel to Southampton tomorrow with their first trophy in hand.
It came courtesy of a 5-4 penalty shoot-out win over Chelsea in the Uefa Super Cup on Wednesday in Istanbul.
“We want to win as many trophies as we can so we’ll enjoy it tonight but then focus on recovering for a big game on Saturday,” captain Jordan Henderson told BT Sport.
Chelsea may have lost in Turkey, but it was far and away a better effort than they put out in taking a 4-0 hammering from Manchester United last weekend.
They now host Leicester on Sunday in Frank Lampard’s first home match as manager.
“I’ve got nothing but pride in the team and the performance, and confidence in what that means,” Lampard said after the Super Cup.
“After Sunday, tonight was another level, and we were unlucky not to win.”
Arsenal host Burnley, Bournemouth visit Aston Villa, Brighton welcome West Ham, Watford travel to Everton, Norwich take on Newcastle, Crystal Palace are at Sheffield United and Manchester United visit Wolverhampton Wanderers in the weekend’s other matches.