Report: Manchester City without Kevin De Bruyne for Spurs opener this weekend

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Spurs kick off their Premier League campaign against Manchester City tomorrow and have been handed a big boost, with Kevin De Bruyne set to miss out.

Pep Guardiola commented on De Bruyne’s fitness in midweek, where it appeared the Belgian would fall short for the Spurs game.

And BBC Sport appear to have confirmed the news. They suggest the ankle injury sustained by De Bruyne for Belgium in the Euros has still not healed properly, ruling the 30-year-old out of the game.

For City, it is a big blow for what is a tough opener on paper. It could mean a start for Jack Grealish, though. The £100m signing will be looking to make an immediate impact for the club.

On the Spurs side of things, it’s a huge bonus. Playing City is tough enough at the best of times. Nuno Santo, then, will very much welcome not seeing De Bruyne in the starting XI for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Mental boost

Sometimes in a game of football, you can have a mental advantage before the teams have even taken to the field. And while City still have more quality than Spurs overall, not having De Bruyne will give Tottenham a boost.

De Bruyne is probably the best midfielder in the world on his day. So while City might have other alternatives, there’s no doubt they’ll miss their man.

Nuno Santo will want a fast start as he begins his tenure at Spurs. This, then, is a welcome bonus and one he’ll be hoping his players can take advantage of.