Yves Bissouma returned to the Tottenham team as Postecoglou’s side earned a point against Manchester City after a thrilling 3-3 draw at the Etihad Stadium.
When Tottenham takes on Pep Guardiola‘s Manchester City, there is always drama. Spurs relinquished a two-goal lead in the same fixture last season following a remarkable second-half comeback from the treble champions after winning 3-2 in Manchester two seasons ago thanks to Harry Kane‘s last-gasp header.
The goals were always expected to flow at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, despite the fact that many Tottenham fans expected the champions to put on a show and run riot given the Lilywhites‘ recent run of three consecutive defeats combined with their injury crisis.
Tottenham, on the other hand, may have gotten away with one due to the opportunities Erling Haaland missed and the frame of their goal being shaken a few times, not that Ange Postecoglou and his men are complaining. Yves Bissouma returned to the Spurs lineup after serving his one-match ban for five yellow cards in the Premier League.
Without Rodrigo Bentancur due to an ankle ligament injury sustained in the previous game against Aston Villa, the head coach made a straightforward option, with the Mali international replacing his colleague. Bissouma’s quality has tapered off recently after being outstanding for Spurs in the early weeks of the season and recapturing the form that saw him wow at Brighton & Hove Albion on a consistent basis after such a terrible first year in N17.
Spurs haven’t seen the best of the 27-year-old since his red card in the 1-0 win over Luton Town at the start of October, which might be attributed to having a one-match ban hanging over his head for quite some time. Postecoglou was asked about his players’ form during his pre-match news conference as he previewed the Manchester City match, and he stated that “disruption” may have played a part in it, since it has been stop-start for him since his ejection at Kenilworth Road.
Bissouma, according to the boss, must have “that discipline and focus” if he is to “maintain becoming a real important part of our team.” The ex-Lille man was once again far from his best, starting in a midfield three alongside Giovani Lo Celso and Kulusevski.
At a time when Spurs have suffered a number of injuries and need to find a way to win again, Bissouma could do with rediscovering the form that he demonstrated on a weekly basis in the first two months of the season. If the Mali international succeeds, Postecoglou will have some midfield options, even if he is missing players like Bentancur and James Maddison.
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