Tottenham will be vying for a fifth consecutive victory on home soil when they face a resurgent Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
Ange Postecoglou would have cut a disappointing figure in the dressing room last weekend following his side’s inability to maintain a lead. Tottenham, who face Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend, were pegged back twice as Jarrad Branthwaite’s late goal dealt a blow to their title hopes.
With Tottenham dropping points and Aston Villa producing a five-star performance against Sheffield United pushed Spurs back into fifth. Arsenal and Manchester City’s wins also allowed the top three to open up a considerable gap of five points with Postecoglou’s side, which makes their title chances more challenging.
Postecoglou will want his side to respond positively. But they face a tough opposition in Brighton. For now, the Australian manager will wish to make a concerted effort to cement a top-four place, which still looks like a big challenge given the quality of other sides, including Manchester United, who are also keen to push for a spot.
Roberto De Zerbi will have liked his side’s response to that unimaginable defeat at the hands of Luton Town. Not a single soul would have envisaged a 4-0 scoreline for the Hatters against the free-scoring Seagulls. Brighton & Hove Albion are in an unusual run of form in the league, which has been baffling while remaining within touching distance of the top four.
Roberto De Zerbi will aim for a concerted run of results from here on and would want his players to put up a challenge for an important finish. With 35 points on board, one cannot consider Brighton entirely out of the top-four race, although a Europa League spot seems more realistic.
They have suffered on the road, having been winless in five games while failing to score in their last two away clashes. Another such result at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will affirm the doubts that Brighton are a weak side away from the Amex, something De Zerbi would want to avoid at the cost of Postecoglou’s men.
Team News & Tactics
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham are boosted by the return of skipper Son Heung-min after South Korea’s elimination from the AFC Asian Cup. The attacker should go straight into the starting lineup and play in the potent frontline that dazzled at the start of the season.
Postecoglou will also have his key midfielders Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma back in the squad, although he might not use the latter just yet. Sarr could come in for Oliver Skipp in midfield and start alongside Rodrigo Bentancur, who has been impressive when the African pair missed games due to AFCON.
In terms of injuries, only Manor Solomon, Ryan Sessegnon, and Giovani Lo Celso are out of action, although the Argentine is still considered doubtful for this game. At the back, too, Postecoglou will have a total strength of players available, although, on January’s arrival, Radu Dragusin might have to wait longer to make his full debut.
Timo Werner and Brennan Johnson could see themselves on the bench for now, as Postecoglou would prefer Son and Dejan Kulusevski in the wide areas. Alternatively, he could revert the South Korean to the central striker role. But Richarlison’s rich vein of goalscoring form will keep the Brazilian in the lineup on merit.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Sarr, Bentancur; Kulusevski, Maddison, Son; Richarlison
Brighton & Hove Albion
Solly March, James Milner, Joel Veltman, and Julio Enciso are all out of contention as things stand. Simon Adingra remains with the Ivory Coast, who have reached the Africa Cup of Nations final on home soil.
Roberto De Zerbi will welcome Kaoru Mitoma back in action after Japan’s elimination from the Asian Cup, meaning he could add a new layer to his attacking setup. Whether he would want to change the setup following that 4-1 win over Crystal Palace remains the question.
Mitoma’s re-entry into the setup might also make De Zerbi change his recently adopted system, although he could still retain that and include the Japanese winger. Hence, he will persist with a back three and wing-backs for this one, with Tariq Lamptey particularly flourishing in that role.
Joao Pedro and Danny Welbeck might keep their places in the setup, while De Zerbi might end up choosing Mitoma. Evan Ferguson will likely start on the bench, which gives the manager a formidable option in the second half, as he and Facundo Buonanotte could feature at some stage during the game.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Verbruggen; Van Hecke, Dunk, Julio; Hinshelwood, Gross, Gilmour, Lamptey; Prdro, Mitoma; Welbeck
Key Stats
- Tottenham have scored at least two goals in their last eight matches in the Premier League.
- Tottenham have won eight of their last nine home matches against Brighton & Hove Albion in all competitions.
- Over 2.5 goals have been scored in Tottenham’s last six games in the Premier League.
- Brighton & Hove Albion are winless in their last five away games in the Premier League.
- Brighton & Hove Albion have failed to score in their last two Premier League away games.
Player to Watch
Son Heung-min
The South Korean would have been left devastated as the chance of winning a significant trophy went past him as South Korea were eliminated from the AFC Asian Cup. However, he still has plenty of time to win one at Tottenham, and Ange Postecoglou will want his talisman to return with a positive mindset.
Adding Son to that already potent-looking attacking setup would boost Tottenham’s chances from here on, especially if they are still thinking about a title challenge. Alternative, even if they end up in the top-four place, the South Korean will have to play a significant role in the crucial run-in.
Prediction
Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion come into this clash after a good routing of Crystal Palace. But there are question marks about whether they can find a similar vein of form against Tottenham. However, Robert De Zerbi still has a strong enough squad to hurt the Spurs, although things look a bit odd for their way on the road.
Tottenham will add Son Heung-min to their setup, which has looked back to its potent recently. However, they have a few defensive issues to iron out, although this game has all the hallmarks of a fifth consecutive win for Spurs at this venue.