- Oct 17, 2006
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SPURS 0-2 LEICESTER
Vardy, Alderweireld
Spurs: Lloris (c), Aurier (Winks), Alderweireld, Dier, Reguilon, Hojbjerg, Sissoko, Ndombele (Bale), Lo Celso (Lucas), Son, Kane. Vardy, Alderweireld
Subs: Hart, Doherty, Rodon, Davies, Bergwijn, Vinicius.
Leicester: Schmeichel (c), Justin, Fofana, Evans, Castagne, Ndidi, Tielemans, Albrighton, Maddison, Barnes, Vardy.
Subs: Ward, Amartey, Fuchs, Thomas, Mendy, Praet, Pérez, Ünder, Iheanacho.
Official Site Match Centre
Two changes from the midweek defeat at Liverpool - Reguilon and Ndombele come in for Davies and Bergwijn. Gareth Bale also returns to the bench.
REFEREE: - Craig Pawson - ???????
TEAM FORM: - Spurs - DWWDL ---- Leicester - LWWWL ------ (All Competitions)
Second faces fourth in our second top-of-the-table tussle in four days when we welcome Leicester City to North London on Sunday.
Just one point separate us in the standings, but we are both coming into the game off the back of disappointing midweek defeats to Merseyside opposition. If, at the start of the season, you had offered either of us our current position heading into Christmas, we would have no doubt bitten your hand off. Both of us will be heading into this top-four showdown off the back of disheartening defeats, though, and with only five points separating second from 10th, another loss here could easily see us surrender our lofty positions.
We had the most gutting of the defeats as we fell to a stoppage-time Roberto Firmino header at Anfield, having soaked up pressure and then squandered two or three glorious chances to complete a Jose smash-and-grab at the home of the champions. Even so, our current tally of 25 points from 13 games is eight more than we had at the same stage of last season, and we have every reason to be confident of a swift return to winning ways this weekend. The defeat at Anfield was our first in the league since the opening day of the season, and in that time they have recorded big wins over Southampton, Manchester United and Manchester City - all of whom sit in the top half like Leicester.
We have also won our last six home games, conceding just once in the process and are unbeaten in 10 across all competitions on our own patch, scoring 27 goals in that time. In the league alone we have only lost one of our last 11 home outings - a vast improvement on a record of three defeats in our first eight such matches under Jose.
However, part of the intrigue surrounding this match lies in the fact that Leicester are also fast improving away from home; they picked up just six points from their first nine away games of 2020, winning only once, but so far this term they have won five of their six such outings. Only Manchester United have amassed more points on their travels in 2020-21, which is in stark contrast to an underwhelming record at the King Power Stadium. Wednesday night's 2-0 defeat to Everton was their fourth home loss of the campaign - already as many as they suffered in the whole of 2019-20.
The Foxes may prefer for this game to be at our Stadium instead of the King Power, then, and we will be wary of a side that has already picked up some notable victories on the road this season. Brendan Rodgers' side have hit five past Manchester City, four past Leeds United and also beaten Arsenal among their away victories, while their only defeat has come at champions Liverpool.
Leicester have also been prone to the odd slip-up too, though, and their place in the top four comes in spite of three defeats in their last five league games.
Recent history suggests that another defeat may be forthcoming too, with Leicester having only won one of their last nine Premier League away games against us - winning 1-0 at White Hart Lane in their title-winning campaign. Rodgers himself has never got the better of Mourinho in seven previous meetings either, which is his longest winless run against any manager.
Banner Courtesy of @chrissivad
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