Manchester City face Spurs seeking the joy of 16

Sweet 16 is on the cards for Manchester City as they host Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League on Saturday at the Etihad Stadium. Pep Guardiola's City are 11 points clear ahead of Manchester United following last Sunday's 2-1 victory at Old Trafford.

Pep Guardiola took over at Manchester City in the summer of 2016. Reuters/Andrew Boyers

They welcome a Spurs side who have risen to fourth on the back of successive wins over Stoke City and Brighton.

But two wins on the trot is a mere bagatelle in comparison with the record breaking exploits of the City slickers this season.

They equalled the feats of Arsène Wenger's Arsenal sides from 2002 with their 14th consecutive victory at Manchester United on 10 December. And they set the new mark of 15 with a 4-0 thrashing at Swansea City on 13 December.

"Tottenham, with Chelsea, is the best team in the way to play football," Guardiola said on the eve of the clash with the north Londoners.

"They don't expect the other ones to take the initiative. They want to make their own game. It is another amazing test for us."

Guardiola, who took over at the Etihad in July 2016, added: "We are ready to face them and try to keep that level we have shown in the last period."

Approaching European record

If City win, Guardiola will match his longest run of successive league wins with the Barcelona team he steered to a La Liga and Champions League double in 2010-11.

He would then be just three wins shy of the overall record for Europe's top five leagues, which he also set - a 19-game winning streak with Bayern Munich in 2013-14.

City have scored 52 goals in their 17 games and have conceded only 11 times. Spurs have been almost as mean in defence. Their rearguard has been breached 14 times but they have not been as prolific at the other end of the field. They have netted 30 times in their 17 fixtures.

Despite the disparity in goalmouth potency and 18 point difference, Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino says his players are buoyant.

"We're going to Manchester thinking we can win," said the Argentine, whose team came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at City last season. "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 Guardiola, that are the best. I'm so motivated and so happy that we are going to play a team at their best."