Leeds United will host Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road for a Premier League clash on Saturday, with both sides eager to return to winning ways.
Leeds United are coming into this game vs Tottenham Hotspur on the back of just one win from their last six matches in all competitions. This will be a difficult outing for the West Yorkshire outfit, and they will need to raise their performance levels to get something out of this contest.
On the other hand, Tottenham are unbeaten in the last six matches in all competitions, but they have failed to win two of the last four outings. Spurs will look to pick up all three points here, and it will be interesting to see if they can get the job done away from home.
There is no doubt that Thomas Frank has quality players at his disposal, and the away side should be able to pick up a victory against the newly promoted outfit. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Leeds United
Wilfried Gnonto, Daniel James, and Lucas Perri are the absentees for the home side, and the trio remain unavailable for the foreseeable future. Leeds United will shape up in a 4-3-3 formation vs Tottenham Hotspur, with Karl Darlow in goal.
Jayden Bogle and Gabriel Gudmundsson will start as the full-backs. They will look to keep things tight at the back and hit Tottenham on the break. Meanwhile, at the heart of the defence, Pascal Struijk will start alongside Joe Rodon.
As for the midfield unit, Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff will add defensive cover and physicality to the side. Ethan Ampadu will add drive alongside them. Finally, Dominic Calvert-Lewin will lead the line for Leeds United vs Tottenham Hotspur, with Brenden Aaronson and Noah Okafor on either side of him.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Darlow; Bogle, Struijk, Rodon, Gudmundsson; Stach, Ampadu, Longstaff; Aaronson, Calvert-Lewin, Okafor
Tottenham Hotspur
The visitors have a number of injury problems here. Radu Dragusin, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, and Dominic Solanke are all long-term injuries. Tottenham Hotspur will shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Leeds United, with Guglielmo Vicario in goal.
Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie will start as the full-backs. They will look to help out defensively and contribute in the attack as well. Meanwhile, Cristian Romero will form the central defensive partnership alongside Micky van de Ven.
As for the midfield unit, Joao Palhinha will add defensive cover and physicality to the side alongside Archie Gray from the double pivot. Xavi Simons will start in the attacking midfield role, and he will look to link the midfield with the attack.
The Dutch playmaker will also look to open up opportunities for his teammates and find the back of the net. Mohammed Kudus and Wilson Odobert will add pace, flair, and unpredictability from the flanks. Finally, Richarlison will lead the line for Tottenham vs Leeds United on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Palhinha, Gray; Kudus, Simons, Odobert; Richarlison
Key Stats
- Tottenham Hotspur has picked up five wins from the last six matches against Leeds United.
- 26goals have been scored in the last six matches between Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur.
- Tottenham Hotspur have scored at least four goals in their last three matches against Leeds United.
- Tottenham are unbeaten in the last six matches in all competitions.
- Leeds United have failed to win five of the last six matches in all competitions.
Player to Watch
Mohammed Kudus
The Tottenham attacker has been excellent since joining the club, and he is our key player to watch out for. Leeds United have been quite vulnerable defensively, albeit on the road. Nevertheless, the hosts also have a terrible defensive record against Tottenham.
The Ghanaian international should be able to exploit Leeds United’s vulnerabilities with his pace, flair, and technical ability. Kudus will look to open up chances for his teammates and find the back of the net. Tottenham will need him to step up and produce a defining performance in the final third here.
Prediction
Leeds United 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Both teams will be looking to pick up a win here, and this will be a close contest. Neither side is defensive in their approach, and this will be an open game with a fair few chances.
Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur are likely to get on the scoresheet, but the away side have more quality in the attacking unit. They should be able to grind out all three points here. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Thomas Frank and his charges.
