If there is one thing that Tottenham have been consistent of this season, it is being largely inconsistent. For every league win, a defeat is seemingly lurking around the corner and after carrying out a 4-0 demolition job of Manchester City last Saturday, that may not bode well for the weekend.
By Dan Tracey
It’s a frustrating flip flopping of results that Fulham will look to take advantage of on Sunday. But the Cottagers do suffer from a similar complex, and even after taking an early advantage at home to Wolves last weekend, it was still Gary O’Neil’s men who left Craven Cottage with maximum points after a resounding 4-1 away win.
The Form Guide
A look at Tottenham’s last seven league outings has seen them win four and lose the remaining three. At no stage during this run have they suffered back-to-back defeats or picked up successive wins and they also failed to pick up maximum points in Europe after Thursday’s 2-2 draw with Roma.
As for opponents Fulham, they make the short trip across the capital having seen their bid to earn three successive league wins ended by that Wolves game. They started the weekend sitting ninth in the table and although three places behind Spurs (before a ball is kicked), they are only a point further back.
Potential protagonists
As Son Heung-min starts to step into veteran status and can no longer be guaranteed a full 90 minutes playing time, the supporting cast of James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski will be on hand to not only score but to also create for the likes of Brennan Johnson and Dominic Solanke.
Fulham’s wide options, Alex Iwobi and Adama Traoré will be tasked with causing Tottenham’s full backs plenty of anguish and by drawing their opponents into uncomfortable areas of the pitch, it will allow the impact players like Emile Smith Rowe and Raúl Jiménez the opportunity to get on the scoresheet.
Who’s in and who’s definitely out
The big injury news coming out of the Tottenham camp will be the long-term absence of keeper Guglielmo Vicario and with Fraser Forster the only other senior shotstopper on Spurs’ books, the former Celtic man will keep his place between the sticks after starting against Roma on Thursday. Nominally the Cup keeper these days this will mark a first Premier League start since the 2022/23 season.
Fulham’s only major injury concern is Harrison Reed’s long-term rehabilitation from recent knee surgery. His absence aside, the Cottagers enter Sunday with a clean bill of health.
Prediction
If you follow the pattern that Tottenham have constructed over the past two months, all signs point to Fulham picking up an away win. However, if Spurs are to make inroads on a Champions League invite at the end of the season, they must build on last Saturday’s emphatic win at the Etihad.
The Premier League’s top scorers are going up against an opposition that has scored and conceded the same number of goals this season and with this in mind, I expect both teams to score but Spurs to come out on top.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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