Tottenham will be raring to end their losing streak when they encounter a struggling West Bromwich Albion side at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.
Tottenham Hotspur will be aiming to bounce back to winning ways after three consecutive disappointing results when they face off against West Bromwich Albion at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in Gameweek 23 of the 2020/21 Premier League.
In spite of a promising start to their league campaign, Spurs have not been able to maintain the rhythm. Due to their poor run in recent weeks, Jose Mourinho’s men are sitting ninth in the league table. The London side have managed to grab just two wins in their last ten league fixtures, winning their last three in a row against Liverpool, Brighton and Chelsea.
West Brom, on the other hand, seem to be clueless in their own proceedings, having not won any of their last four games. Sam Allardyce’s men are agonizingly staring at the prospect of relegation. Currently 19th, the Baggies faced another horrific conclusion earlier this week, as they were outclassed by bottom-feeders Sheffield United who beatn them 2-1 at Bramall Lane.
The reverse fixture, played in November last year, saw Tottenham Hotspur oust West Brom by a narrow margin of 1-0, as Harry Kane came up with the deciding goal in the 88th minute. Here, at Yhe Hard Tackle, we will take a look at both of these sides ahead of their significant clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this weekend.
Team News & Tactics
Tottenham Hotspur
Jose Mourinho’s men will be heading to this fixture without their formidable forward Harry Kane, who still needs few days to recover from his ankle injury. Spanish left-back Sergio Reguilon will not be available either, and along with him, Giovani Lo Celso and Dele Alli remain absent due to their injury concerns.
The Tottenham boss has been under scrutiny for quite a while, and he’ll be looking forward to this fixture as a chance to turn the fortunes in his favour. Mourinho will set his team up in a familiar 4-2-3-1 formation, as he tends to hit the opposition with his blistering counter-attacking approach.
Hugo Lloris will be the undisputed starter between the sticks, as Toby Alderwield and Joe Rodon could form the centre-back pairing, as the defensive unit needs to be more sturdy to ensure stability at back. At right-back, Serge Aurier will have to execute the principles of his manager in a proper manner while Ben Davies will be venturing through the left flank.
In midfield, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg will yet again look forward to asserting his authority with French international Moussa Sissoko. Tanguy Ndombele could occupy the No. 10 slot and look to fashion opportunities for the rest of his attacking partners.
Heung-Min Son will be pulling the strings in the attacking half as he has a huge task to execute in the absence of Kane, with whom he had troubled the opponent’s defensive zone with ease this term. Steven Bergwijn needs to pull off an efficient display from the right-wing. Lucas Moura could play as a striker to create more chances upfront, as the Brazilian looks to regain momentum.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Lloris; Aurier, Alderweireld Rodon, Davies; Sissoko, Hojbjerg; Bergwijn, Ndombele, Son; Moura
West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion have an enormous task to accomplish against Tottenham, as the Baggies have been struggling to find their feet in this campaign. Manager Sam Allardyce could miss only one of his players for the trip to London though, with Grady Diangana doubtful for the fixture.
Getting set for Spurs ?@MonsterEnergy | #WBA pic.twitter.com/EJX4M6iKM6
— West Bromwich Albion (@WBA) February 6, 2021
The Baggies could make a few alterations to execute their principles in a different manner, as they are aware of the fact that Tottenham have the firepower to rattle the cages of their defensive half at any moment. Sam Johnstone will emerge as the last man in defence, and in front of him, Semi Ajayi and Kyle Bartley remain as the familiar faces in the centre-back region.
Darnell Furlong and the Conor Townsend could play the pivotal roles, as they both need to produce commendable performances from the flanks to keep the Tottenham Hotspur forwards at bay. Jake Livermore has to be more conscious about his position, and veteran Scotsman Robert Snodgrass needs to showcase his experience in building up a solid partnership in midfield.
Matt Phillips who scored the only goal for the Baggies against Sheffield United last time out need should start at right-wing. Matheus Pereira can be the X-Factor for West Brom, as his mobility upfront could be decisive.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles, the fresh recruit in this winter transfer window could make a possible start, as the player possesses the versatility to be an asset in any position on the pitch. Mbaye Diagne will be the sole striker, who will look to pose a threat to the Spurs’ backline.
Probable Lineup (4-4-1-1): Johnstone; Furlong, Ajayi, Bartley, Townsend; Phillips, Livermore, Snodgrass, Pereira; Maitland-Niles; Diagne
Betting Odds
Favourable Tips
1. Tottenham to WIN @ 1.45
Hot Ones
1. Son Heung-Min to score first @ 4.50
Key Stats
- Tottenham Hotspur, in their last five league fixtures, have only won two games (L3). Meanwhile, West Bromwich Albion have only gathered four points out of a possible fifteen (W1 D1 L3).
- Having beaten by Tottenham in the reverse fixture, West Brom have a poor track record against the Liywhites, as they have just managed to win two games out of their last seventeen (W2 D9 L6).
- Jose Mourinho lost two back-to-back home games for the first time in his entire managerial career, as Chelsea beat Tottenham 1-0 on Thursday, following their 3-1 loss to Liverpool last week.
- West Brom have conceded at least 2 goals in their last 7 matches in the Premier League.
- Tottenham have lost just one of their last 26 Premier League home games against promoted clubs (W23 D2).
Player to Watch
Heung-Min Son
Tottenham Hotspur’s drastic downfall has been a concerning sight for manager Jose Mourinho. In the absence of Harry Kane, the Lilywhites have struggled to find the back of the net in the last few matches, and it is indeed high time for the other forwards to establish their credentials in such time of need.
28-year-old Heung-Min Son has been a top asset for Tottenham and he will be under the radar once again as he will have to shoulder the responsibility of driving his side forward in Kane’s absence. With 12 goals and 6 assists in 21 league games, the Tottenham No. 7 has shown that he has the ability to pose a threat to any team with his pace and clinical nature.
Son’s ability to hit the opposition on the counter and his game-reading ability have been some of the trademarks of his season so far. And, if he gets going he could very well go onto only spoil the party for Sam Allardyce’s men.
Prediction
Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 West Bromwich Albion
Sam Allardyce’s men need to be robust at the back to deny Tottenham any spaces and hope to hit the hosts on the counter. Meanwhile, with consecutive defeats under their belt, Jose Mourinho’s side will need to be more ruthless in their approach, as this could be the ideal chance for them to bounce back to winning ways.
Tottenham should come up as the victorious side, given that they have enough quality in the attacking unit to annihilate the Baggies’ defence, that has leaked a league-high 52 goals already this season. That is why The Hard Tackle predicts a comfortable 2-0 win for the hosts on Sunday.