Leroy Sane - another of City's most excellent in recent weeks - has work to do in his own penalty area here as he picks off Christian Eriksen's chipped through ball.

De Bruyne is caught late by a Mousa Dembele challenge - no yellow card, just a warning in these early stages.

Image source, Reuters

Kevin de Bruyne already in the thick of things, that determined stride on goal only halted to unload in the path of Sergio Aguero, but his pass is blocked.

Here he is again De Bruyne, dragging marker Mousa Dembele deep. The Spurs midfielder will have his work cut out keeping his fellow Belgium international quiet...

We are go!

Manchester City get this one under way...

Here they are now, the City players. Stylishly late. Raheem Sterling greeting his England team-mates.

Kick-off just minutes away...

Guy Mowbray
Match of the Day commentator

Mauricio Pochettino's words have been refreshing ahead of his side's visit to the runaway Premier League leaders.

Here's a few of them: 'We are going to enjoy it', 'a fantastic challenge', 'I am so excited', 'so positive'.

They'll make Pep Guardiola smile too, with some recent post-match interviews showing frustration at his team being so much better than their opponents.

You get the feeling that he'd rather be given a game and lose 4-3 than win having seen his players lay siege to defensive barricades.

Spurs' record away to the rest of the 'big six' under Pochettino suggests that a touch more pragmatism wouldn't go amiss - but I hope (and know) he won't go changing

There are some very cold mascots lining up alongside the tracksuited players in the tunnel.

All the Tottenham lot are there, we're just waiting for City now...

• Spurs have not won a Premier League away game since beating Huddersfield in September, claiming just one point from four matches.

• Under Mauricio Pochettino, Spurs have won just one of 17 Premier League games away to the 'big six' (D6, L10). That sole victory came at Manchester City in February 2016.

Image source, PA

• Sergio Aguero is one short of 100 goals for Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in all competitions. He has 99 goals in 133 home games.

• He has scored 35 times in 52 Premier League games against the 'big six' teams - with those strikes representing 29% of City's 119 goals in those matches.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at the Etihad Stadium

David Silva misses today's game for personal reasons.

No injury for the Manchester City skipper, who has played in every Premier League game so far this season.

Pochettino the first manager to beat Guardiola three times in the league?..

BBC Sport app users may have to follow the link to view the content

Image source, Getty Images

• Pochettino's first match as a head coach was against Pep Guardiola - he led Espanyol to a 0-0 draw against Barcelona in a Copa del Rey game on 21 January 2009
• A month later, Pochettino claimed his first ever win by guiding Espanyol to a 2-1 league victory against Guardiola's Barca at the Camp Nou
• Pochettino has won two of 11 competitive meetings with Guardiola as a manager or head coach (D4, L5)

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino: "We're going to Manchester thinking we can win.

"We're going to enjoy it, because it's a fantastic challenge to play against Manchester City. They're the best team in England and one of the best in Europe.

"I'm so excited to play, because I love to play against teams and managers like [Pep] Guardiola that are the best. I'm so motivated and so happy that we are going to play a team at their best."

Manchester City

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola: "Spurs are a top team. It doesn't matter where they are now, for me they are still a top team.

"The results are the results. I see what they do - not their position. I have a lot of respect for Tottenham and what they do. The basis of the England team is from Tottenham.

"They are a very, very good team. I like to watch them play."

• City's record run of 15 consecutive league wins is only the third best streak of Pep Guardiola's managerial career. He won 16 in a row with Barcelona in 2010-11 and 19 with Bayern Munich in 2013-14.

Mark Lawrenson
Former Liverpool defender

City have just been great and Tottenham will have to be at their best to hold them up - but I think they can be the team to do it.

Prediction: 1-1

Lawro's full predictions v WWE star John Cena

• Think you can do better than Lawro? Predict the score for this match and the rest of this round's Premier League fixtures in our Predictor game.

• Manchester City are winless in four Premier League games against Spurs since a run of four consecutive victories between November 2013 and May 2015 (D1, L3).
• Tottenham have won 10 Premier League away games at Manchester City, more than they have at any other club.

There is no David Silva for Premier League leaders Manchester City - not even on the bench.

Bernardo Silva and Danilo also drop out in three changes from the team that beat Swansea 4-0 in Wales on Wednesday.

In come Kyle Walker against his old club, while Ilkay Gundogan and Leroy Sane also start.

CIty XI: Ederson, Walker, Otamendi, Mangala, Delph, De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Gundogan, Sane, Sterling, Aguero.

Subs: Bravo, Danilo, Bernardo Silva, Gabriel Jesus, Zinchenko, Toure, Foden.

Tottenham make three changes from the team that beat Brighton 2-0 at home on Wednesday. Kieran Trippier, Mousa Dembele and Dele Alli all start for Serge Aurier, Moussa Sissoko and Erik Lamela.

Spurs XI: Lloris, Trippier, Dier, Vertonghen, Rose, Dembele, Winks, Alli, Eriksen, Son, Kane.

Subs: Lamela, Vorm, Sissoko, Llorente, Foyth, Aurier, Davies.

The teams are in...

Image source, Reuters

Good afternoon.

Tottenham's manager says his side are going for the win.

Manchester City have done nothing but that for the past 15 league matches in a row.

It should be a cracker.

Image source, PA