By Ian King
Leeds have improved after a sluggish begin, whereas Spurs have tailed off after a very good one
Individuals appear to be slowly coming spherical to the concept that the three groups promoted from the Championship final season may not be as horrible as they’ve been in current seasons. Leeds arrive at Elland Street for this match in twelfth place within the desk, solely separated from eighth by a unfavorable purpose distinction caused by their 5-0 drubbing at Arsenal in August.
Spurs, in the meantime, have had a fortnight of escapology, having to return from 2-0 twice, as soon as to Brighton & Hove Albion within the Premier League and as soon as to Bodø/Glimt within the Champions League. Sandwiched between these had been a 1-1 draw with Wolves that required a stoppage-time equaliser to rescue a degree and a win in opposition to Doncaster Rovers within the EFL Cup. As ever, with this most unfathomable of soccer groups, who is aware of?
Spurs have a very good document in opposition to Leeds since their (first) return to the Premier League
Spurs have received 5 of the six conferences between these two groups since Leeds initially returned to the Premier League in 2020. This has additionally been a sport by which they’ve loved themselves in entrance of purpose, having scored 4 instances in every of their final three conferences. Leeds’ final win on this fixture got here with a 3-1 victory at Elland Street in Could 2021.
The seek for a constant purpose risk
Leeds have scored six targets within the Premier League this season and so they’ve all been scored by six completely different gamers, however one participant who might in all probability do with including to his tally is Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who’s solely scored one in six within the league however did chip in with a fairly pleasant header of their 3-1 win at Wolves a fortnight in the past. He’s had horrendous luck with accidents, but when he’s match and raring to go this season it’s time to show that he can rating extra persistently.
Spurs, curiously, have been the beneficiaries of no fewer than 4 personal targets because the center of September, with Villareal, Brighton, Doncaster and Bodø/Glimt having all added to their targets scored tally within the final two and a half weeks. They’ve 4 gamers on three targets every (in all competitions) and two of them are defensively minded, with Micky Van De Ven a centre-back and João Palhinha a defensive midfielder. They could effectively get ahead once more in pursuit of main that prime goalscorers chart on their very own.
Solanke to overlook out for Spurs, whereas Perri & Gnonto are unlikely to be prepared in time for Leeds
Effectively, not less than we lastly know what the state of affairs with Dominic Solanke is. He had surgical procedure on an ankle damage and can now be out till the beginning of November. Randal Kolo Muani didn’t practice earlier than or play within the Bodø/Glimt sport and is rated at no higher than 50:50 to participate on this match. Spurs’ remaining damage checklist is all longer-term, whereas one participant who isn’t injured however is vanishingly unlikely to participate regardless is Yves Bissouma, who has fallen fully out of favour with Thomas Frank.
Leeds, in the meantime, are comparatively freed from accidents. Lucas Perri might be out for the following couple of weeks with a thigh damage, and whereas Wilfried Gnonto is because of return to full coaching, he’s unlikely to seem on this match.
Leeds’ inconsistency and Tottenham’s current stumble might cancel one another out
Leeds could not have an amazing document in opposition to Spurs lately, however they’ll be assured of selecting one thing up from this one, having taken 4 factors from their final two Premier League matches.
Spurs, in the meantime, stay one thing of a conundrum. They appear extra cohesive than they did final season, however they’ve already used up a lot of Get Out of Jail Free playing cards this season and so they can’t anticipate the relative success they’ve had in current weeks to final indefinitely.
That mentioned, there are often targets on this fixture – the final to function fewer than three was virtually 22 years in the past, in January 2004 – and it feels completely affordable to anticipate these two inconsistency monsters to cancel one another out.
I’ll go for one more 2-2 draw, as a result of it’s been beginning to really feel as if Spurs quite like that scoreline of late.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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