Tottenham Hotspur host Bournemouth in the Premier League this weekend, and they will look to continue their outstanding run of form with a victory at home.
Tottenham have picked up two wins in two Premier League matches, and they will look to grind out another positive result vs Bournemouth at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
On the other hand, the Cherries are coming into this game on the back of two defeats from their last three matches. It will be interesting to see if they can bounce back strongly and upset the odds. Andoni Iraola’s men are undoubtedly the underdogs here, and it will be interesting to see if they can get the job done away from home.
The home team has managed to keep a clean sheet in the two Premier League matches they have played so far, and they will look to shut out the opposition once again. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Tottenham Hotspur
Radu Dragusin is a long-term absentee with a knee injury. Dejan Kulusevski is expected to return at the turn of the year, and James Maddison has a serious knee injury. Tottenham will shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Bournemouth, with Guglielmo Vicario in goal.
Pedro Porro and Djed Spence are likely to start as full-backs, and they will look to contribute at both ends of the pitch. Cristian Romero will start alongside Micky van de Ven at the heart of the Tottenham defence.
As for the midfield unit, Rodrigo Bentancur will add drive and physicality alongside Joao Palhinha in the double pivot. The Portuguese international will add defensive cover to the side. Pape Matar Sarr will start in the advanced midfield role, and he will look to create opportunities and add more control to the side.
Mohammed Kudus and Brennan Johnson will start on the flanks. They will look to add pace, flair, and unpredictability to the Tottenham attack. Richarlison will spearhead the Tottenham attack vs Bournemouth on Saturday.
Tottenham Hotspur (4-2-3-1): Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Bentancur, Palhinha; Matar Sarr, Kudus, Johnson, Richarlison
Bournemouth
Enes Unal is sidelined with a knee injury, and the likes of Lewis Cook and Julian Araujo are suspended. Bournemouth will shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Tottenham Hotspur, with Djordje Petrovic in goal.
Adam Smith and Adrien Truffert will start on the flanks. They will look to keep things tight defensively and hit Tottenham on the counter. Bafode Diakite will pair up a the heart of the defence alongside Marcos Senesi.
As for the midfield unit, Alex Scott will start alongside Tyler Adams in the double pivot. They will look to protect the team defensively and keep things compact in the middle. Marcus Tavernier will start in the central attacking midfield role, and he will look to link the midfield with the attack.
Antoine Semenyo and David Brooks will start on the flanks, adding goals and creativity from the wide areas. Evanilson will lead the line for Bournemouth vs Tottenham Hotspur this weekend.
Bournemouth (4-2-3-1): Petrovic, Smith, Diakite, Senesi, Truffert; Scott, Adams, Tavernier, Semenyo, Brooks; Evanilson
Key Stats
- Tottenham have scored at least two goals in their last five home matches against Bournemouth in all competitions.
- 21 goals have been scored in the last six matches between these two teams.
- Bournemouth have conceded six goals in their three outings this season.
- Tottenham have kept a clean sheet in the last two Premier League matches.
- Thomas Frank has managed more Premier League games against Bournemouth without losing than against any other side (P6 W4 D2), while the only manager he’s beaten more often than Andoni Iraola (3) is David Moyes (5).
Player to Watch
Richarlison
The Brazilian international has been outstanding for Tottenham in the Premier League so far, and he will look to continue his impressive run of form. He will look to create opportunities for his teammates and find the back of the net as well.
Richarlison has been involved in 16 goals across his last 21 Premier League starts for Tottenham Hotspur (13 goals, 3 assists), with two goals and an assist so far this campaign. No Spurs player has ever been involved in at least one goal in each of their first three matches of a Premier League season, something his teammate Brennan Johnson could also achieve in this game (2 goals so far).
Richarlison will want to hold down a regular starting spot for Tottenham this season, ahead of Dominic Solanke and needs to continue performing at a high level. The former Everton attacker is the key player to watch out for, and it will be interesting to see if he can help his team pick up their third win in a row.
Prediction
Tottenham 3-1 Bournemouth
Tottenham are undoubtedly the better team and are in impressive form right now. Spurs are full of confidence, and they should be able to grind out a positive result here. Bournemouth can be quite vulnerable defensively, especially after selling multiple key players.
The Cherries have struggled at the back in their recent outings, and Tottenham have enough quality to expose their vulnerabilities. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for Thomas Frank and his charges.