The Premier League kick-off on Saturday as two unhappy managers meet at Elland Road hoping to get their seasons back on track.
A poor defeat to Burnley in midweek makes it Tottenham fourth defeat in five games. Coming off from a fresh victory over Manchester City, few would expect Tottenham Hotspur to lose cheaply against Burnley on Wednesday but they did raising concerns over their top-four ambitions.
They travel to Elland Road relishing the chance to face a Leeds side with their own problems, having recorded the worst defensive record in the division with 56 goals conceded from 25 games.
Also like Tottenham, Leeds have lost four of their past five league matches, including a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Liverpool on Wednesday.
The Whites currently sit 15th in the Premier League and are just three points clear of 18th-placed Burnley, who do have two games in hand.
Sergio Reguilon strike gave Tottenham the 2-1 victory over Leeds at Tottenham Stadium. (Getty)
Leeds United vs Tottenham team news
Rodrigo Bentancur is unavailable for Spurs after suffering an ankle injury in the defeat at Burnley. Oliver Skipp (groin) and Japhet Tanganga (knee) continue to miss out.
Conte said on Friday: “I hope the medical department can help me. Skipp now is one month that he’s missing. It’s the same for Tanganaga.”
Sergio Reguilon is expected to return to the starting XI too after recovering from Covid.
Absent for Leeds will be Liam Cooper and Kalvin Phillips (both muscle), plus Patrick Bamford (foot), Diego Llorente (hamstring) and Sam Greenwood (knee).Robin Koch (head) is a doubt.
“There’s not a fixed date,” said Marcelo Bielsa on Phillips and Cooper. “The prediction that they were going to be available early March, how they are right now, it doesn’t seem like that’s going to be the case.”
Leeds United possible starting lineup:
Meslier; Ayling, Struijk, Llorente, Dallas; Koch, Forshaw; Raphinha, Rodrigo, Harrison; Roberts
Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Romero, Dier, Davies; Emerson, Winks, Hojbjerg, Reguilon; Kulusevski , Kane, Son
Opta stats
Leeds have won just one of their last eight Premier League games against Tottenham (D1 L6), though it did come in this exact fixture last season (3-1).
Spurs have won just two of their 13 Premier League away games against Leeds (D3 L8), with those victories coming in May 1996 (3-1) and January 2004 (1-0).
Leeds United have lost three of their last four Premier League home games, as many as they had in their previous 17 at Elland Road. They’ve not lost three consecutive top-flight home games since November 2003.
Raphinha has scored 40% of Leeds’ Premier League home goals this season (6/15). Indeed, the Brazilian and Rodrigo (2) are the only Leeds players to score more than one league goal at Elland Road so far this term.
Tottenham striker Harry Kane has scored 10 goals in his eight Premier League games played in Yorkshire – only Alan Shearer (16) has scored more as a visiting player in the county than the England captain.
Leeds United vs Tottenham prediction
Tottenham traveling to Elland Road knowing fully well that a top-four finish is still within their abilities but more performances like the one on Wednesday night will threaten their hopes of any European football next season.
Tottenham’s attack struggled against a defensive Burnley side but will be relishing the chance to face the side who have the worst defence in the Premier League, conceding 56 goals – three more than rock-bottom Norwich City.
While Tottenham will be buoyed to face the Leeds side, their defense is of utmost worry as Tottenham haven’t kept a clean sheet in their past 10 games across all competitions.
With both teams out of form, it’s likely going to be a fairly-close encounter but Spurs posses the necessary instruments to inflict another defeat On Biesla’s men. For the match, Tottenham Hotspurs will start as favorites.
Tottenham to Win 3-1
Both teams to Score
Tottenham to score 1.5 goals
Over 8.5 Corners