Leeds and Tottenham would be looking forward to getting their season back on track when they face off at Elland Road in a Saturday afternoon Premier League kick-off. Despite their magnificent win at the Etihad last weekend, Spurs have managed to win only one of their previous four matches and suffered a midweek defeat to Burnley. Meanwhile, Leeds followed up their 4-2 defeat at home to Manchester United with a 6-0 capitulation at Anfield.
Leeds United
Last season, Marcelo Bielsa did a remarkable job guiding Leeds to a top-half finish. While the Peacocks were thrilling to watch, defensive frailties were apparent in their style of play. This season, defensive problems have gotten worse for Leeds, and it could cost them their Premier League status. Leeds now have the worst defence in the league, conceding a league-highest of 56 goals in 25 matches.
Liverpool showed no mercy and punished the Yorkshire outfit severely for their below-par defending. Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah could have scored hat-tricks; instead, they had to stay content with braces. Joel Matip and Virgil van Dijk also joined the scoring frenzy to condemn Leeds to a 6-0 defeat.
The run of fixtures has not been kind to Leeds, but now they will have to hope to bounce back with a positive result against Antonio Conte’s Spurs, who are having problems of their own. Bielsa’s men had picked up a 3-1 victory over Spurs last season at home. A similar result would come as a much welcome boost to their Premier League survival hopes.
Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford are the most high-profile absentees for the home side. Because of injury issues, Sam Greenwood and Liam Cooper will also sit out the game. The match can also come too soon for Robin Koch, who picked up a head injury during Leeds’ 4-2 loss to Man United.
Tottenham Hotspur
It has been a roller coaster ride for Antonio Conte at Spurs. There have been glimpses of brilliance contrasted by some dreadful performances. On Saturday, a Harry Kane-inspired performance saw the Lilywhites nick a 3-2 away win against Manchester City. A few days later, the North London side failed to overcome a Burnley side sitting on the relegation zone.
With three matches in hand, Tottenham still have a shot at a top-four finish. But, they will have to find some consistency to cement Champions League qualification.
Leeds presents an ideal opportunity for Spurs to pick up a comfortable win and build on that. With players like Kane and Heung-Min Son at their disposal, Tottenham can take advantage of Leeds’ defensive woes.
Sergio Reguilon will be fit to replace Ryan Sessegnon at right-back. Japhet Tanganga, Pierluigi Gollini, and Oliver Skipp will race against time to make the trip to Leeds. Conte could prefer Dejan Kulusevski as a wing-back over Emerson Royal. Lucas Moura could also be a part of the starting XI.
Our Prediction
Tottenham have premium forwards in their side, who can make life difficult for Leeds defenders. We are expecting the North London side to slice through an underperforming Leeds defence. We believe the match will end in a 2-1 win for Spurs.
Betting Tip
Tottenham to Win @ 2.50 (3/2).
