City (6-1-4) have won all five league matches played at the Etihad Stadium this term, scoring 20 goals and conceding just two in that spell.
However, their dismal away form - just one win and a total of four points from six matches - has left Manuel Pellegrini's side down in eighth position with 19 points and struggling to keep up with the Premier League's leaders Arsenal.
City thumped Norwich 7-0 in their last home league match on Nov. 2 but then lost 1-0 at lowly Sunderland before the international break.
Pellegrini is likely to keep Joe Hart on the City substitutes' bench against Tottenham. The England goalkeeper was dropped by City three weeks ago after a series of high-profile errors and replaced by Romania international Costel Pantilimon.
Despite the fact that Hart played in England's 1-0 defeat by Germany at Wembley on Tuesday, Pellegrini has hinted Pantilimon will start again on Sunday.
"I think at this moment that maybe Joe needs a rest but we still have a lot of trust in Joe and he's still a very important player in our squad," said Pellegrini. "I am absolutely sure that this will be an important thing for him to come back to his performances of the last two years."
Tottenham (6-2-3) are one place and one point above City in the standings but have lacked consistency since starting the 2013/2014 campaign with five wins in their first six league matches. Spurs lost 1-0 at home to Newcastle before the international break and although they have the second best defensive record (just six goals conceded) the north Londoners have found it difficult to score goals themselves, managing just nine in 11 league outings.
Spurs midfielder Lewis Holtby is expecting a closely-fought contest on Sunday.
"We need a result after the disappointment against Newcastle and it's important to win this game," said the 23-year-old German international. "It's going to be a tough game. It's a match between two opponents that like to play attacking football and I think it's going to be a great game to watch.
"It's going to be the details that decide the game. We need a result after the disappointment against Newcastle and it's important to win this game. Everyone will be trying their best to win a top game like this."
City skipper Vincent Kompany remains sidelined with a thigh problem, while striker Stevan Jovetic (foot) and midfielder David Silva (calf) also miss out.
Spurs playmaker Christian Eriksen injured his ankle on international duty for Denmark, although the damage is not as bad as first thought. Defender Danny Rose is nearing a return from an ankle complaint, while midfielders Nacer Chadli and Etienne Capoue are available again after injury lay-offs.
Both sides claimed victories at home last season. Man City won 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium in November with Edin Dzeko scoring the winner two minutes from time. Steven Caulker had put Spurs ahead after 21 minutes, before his goal was cancelled out by Sergio Aguero midway through the second half.
Spurs won 3-1 at White Hart Lane in April with three goals in a seven-minute span in the second half. Samir Nasri put City ahead five minutes into the game and they would hold that lead until the 75th minute when Gareth Bale equalised. Jermain Defoe put Spurs ahead four minutes later and Bale locked up the points with a goal eight minutes from time.
Courtesy: ScoreMobile
(http://m.thescore.com/scoremobile)
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