Tottenham Hotspur will aim to get their top 4 spot firmly secured with a win against Southampton this weekend. Saints require major 3 points to help them fight relegation.
Team News:
Ex-Tottenham right-back Kyle Walker-Peters would have been expected to strut his stuff against his former employers this week, but the 25-year-old came off with a hamstring concern in the loss to Brentford and will need assessing in the coming days.
Fellow full-back Valentino Livramento remains out of contention alongside Juan Larios, while Arsenal loanee Ainsley Maitland-Niles is still nursing a knock and will also need a once-over, potentially limiting Selles’s right-back options further.
James Bree can feel confident of coming into the first XI if Walker-Peters misses out, while neither Mohamed Elyounoussi nor Kamaldeen Sulemana cut the mustard in midweek, so Theo Walcott – hardly a favourite of Tottenham fans – ought to be in contention for a recall.
As for Spurs, the long-term quartet of Hugo Lloris, Yves Bissouma, Rodrigo Bentancur and Ryan Sessegnon all remain absent, while there is also a question mark hanging over the head of Emerson Royal, who has been battling a knock.
The Brazilian should have a strong chance of coming back here, but Pedro Porro has seemingly cemented his place in the XI since Emerson’s purple patch came to an end, while Richarlison should certainly hold the fort up front again, having improved his self-confessed “s***” fortunes with a stellar showing against Forest.
The stage is seemingly set for Richarlison to finally break his Premier League duck for Spurs, as the Brazilian has five goals against the Saints in the Premier League – a personal high – while Son Heung-min is one away from bringing up a century of English top-flight goals.
Southampton possible starting lineup:
Bazunu; Bree, Bednarek, Bella-Kotchap, Perraud; Ward-Prowse, Lavia; Walcott, Alcaraz, Sulemana; Onuachu
Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:
Forster; Romero, Dier, Lenglet; Porro, Hojbjerg, Skipp, Davies; Richarlison, Kane, Son
Prediction: Southampton 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur
A continued lack of ruthlessness and midweek fatigue will no doubt work against Southampton versus their more esteemed counterparts, who are primed to snap their dampening run of away defeats on the South Coast.
With Conte’s side not possessing the desired attacking formula on the road either, goals may be at a premium here, but a refreshed Lilywhites crop should boost their top-four chances at the expense of Southampton’s survival hopes.
