Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City: Previewing 3 Key Match-Ups at the Lane

This Sunday, Spurs take on the second Manchester team in a week. Manchester City make the trip to White Hart Lane in a clash that has grown with intensity in recent years. Will the billionaire Citizens be able to beat mighty little Tottenham? Who knows, but if you throw enough cash at something, you should eventually see results. I guess that's an argument for another time.

Here are some match-ups that will define this Sunday's game at the Lane.

Aguero vs Dawson and Probably Kaboul

I am not here to make predictions about who City will start, but if I were a betting man, I'd put some down on the new Argentine. He has already proven to be a handful for defenders and is clearly the future of City's strike-force. Who knows if Tevez will be in the right frame of mind to play for the club that pays him? And Dzeko? Overrated is an understatement. But Aguero; that kid can play.

Michael Dawson, if you're reading this, you better take notes. Aguero is quick and can make an opportunity out of nothing. If you give him a half of a yard, you're done. He can shoot from outside and is an excellent poacher. For a short guy, he even has a decent header. He can link up and play one-two's through the defense like it's Swiss cheese. Hear that, Dawson? Don't be Swiss cheese. Tell whoever your partnered with in the center of defense to let the big, goofy Dzeko shoot and don't give Aguero an inch.

This match-up is crucial in determining the outcome of the game. If Aguero plays, he's going to score. If he doesn't score, he's going to come close or help someone else to score.

Micah Richards vs Benny and Bale

Micah Richards created havoc against Bolton, and I expect him to do the same against Spurs. Presuming he plays down the right somewhere, Bale and Assou-Ekotto are going to have to deal with him, among others. He's got pace and strength, so expect to see him barreling down the right like a freight train. The thought of seeing Richards run at me makes me shutter. Good luck, boys, but I know you can do it. I think once Bale settles and attacks back, Richards will lose some confidence, and the two will be locked in a back-and-forth winger battle.

David Silva vs Rafael Van Der Vaart

This match-up isn't an actual player match-up that is likely during the game; however, it could happen. This is meant to be more of a comparison of attacking midfielders. VDV and Silva fill similar roles, but each with their own style. Van der Vaart approaches things with a more focused, aggressive attitude, whereas Silva seems to use more finesse. I think the real difference is the forwards that each midfielder is playing with. Silva has Tevez, Aguero and Dzeko, whereas Van der Vaart has Defoe and Pavlyuchencko. I'm going to avoid another "Tottenham's bad strikers" rant, but for the sake of this comparison, Silva is severely outgunning the Dutchman.

Here's to Hoping for the Best

Of course, when comparing any merely mortal team to a team of grossly over paid all-stars, on paper, the all-stars seem to shine. I realize this slideshow does little to encourage Spurs fans.

I do have some conclusive points, however. First, Bolton managed to score two against City, and I consider Spurs to be better than Bolton. We know it can be done. Secondly, City constantly has problems with all of the big personalities on the roster and the prima donna Mancini can hardly even handle his own hairdo, let alone a team of world-class footballers. Hopefully, with some early pressure, Spurs can get them on the back foot. And lastly, it's at the Lane, so Come On You Spurs!