Antonio Conte and his Tottenham team can now add a new date to the diary following confirmation from the Premier League regarding their trip to Manchester City. Originally pencilled in to be played on Saturday, September 10, all league fixtures in England were postponed as a mark of respect following the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.
With very little room in the calendar as it is due to the packed schedule to accommodate the 2022 World Cup taking place during the season, question marks have surrounded when exactly the cancelled round of games will be played. On Monday evening the Premier League confirmed new dates for two of the postponed fixtures, with Tottenham's visit to the Etihad Stadium being one of them.
The game will now take place at 8pm on Thursday, January 19. However, the showdown is subject to neither team being in an FA Cup third round replay, with Man City hosting Chelsea and Tottenham taking on League One side Portsmouth the weekend before.
READ MORE: Tottenham's Harry Kane and Son Heung-min nominated for Fans' Footballer of the Year award
Providing that the encounter does take place on the new date, Tottenham face a pivotal five days that could potentially shape their season. Currently sat in fourth after 15 Premier League games, three defeats in their last five league fixtures has seen Newcastle United leapfrog them in the standings and also Manchester United close to within three points of the Lilywhites.
A big improvement is needed on the pitch once league action resumes, with January set to be a key month for the club. Starting the new year off with tricky games against Aston Villa and Crystal Palace before they host Portsmouth in the FA Cup, the midway point of the month sees Tottenham host Arsenal in the second north London derby of the season.
Spurs certainly have some wrongs to right on Sunday, January 15 after falling to a dismal 3-1 defeat at the Emirates Stadium at the beginning of October. Arsenal currently lead the way at the top of the Premier League and hold a five-point advantage over Man City, something they will look to maintain over the course of January and beyond.
A huge day for both north London clubs when they meet at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the 4.30pm kick-off, things certainly don't get any easier for Spurs four days later when they head to the home of the reigning Premier League champions. Conte's men did in fact win the respective games last campaign, securing a thrilling, last-minute 3-2 win over Man City in February before triumphing 3-0 against Arsenal in a Champions League shootout.
A similar effort is going to be needed this time around, especially with the club's mixed results and performances allowing others to close in on them. Given the importance of finishing in the top four and securing another Champions League place come May, the five-day period in January could prove to be decisive one way or another for Conte and Tottenham.
READ NEXT:
Djed Spence handed unique Antonio Conte Tottenham opportunity ahead of January transfer window
Tottenham's next five fixtures compared to Arsenal, Man City, Newcastle, Man Utd and Liverpool
The Tottenham players training at Hotspur Way as loan man returns and nine youngsters involved
What Tottenham vs Portsmouth FA Cup third round tie means for Dane Scarlett after loan move
Full list of Tottenham players going to Qatar 2022 World Cup as Eric Dier, Rodrigo Bentancur in
