In-form Tottenham Hotspur travel to Elland Road on Saturday lunchtime to face a Leeds United side who are winless in five Premier League matches. A few weeks ago, Roberto De Zerbi would have been dreading this tie, especially given the excellent start to the season Leeds had enjoyed. Now, however, it is Spurs who have been playing well recently. Can they make it four in a row in Yorkshire?
Match details
Where: Elland Road, Leeds, England
When: 12:30pm BST / 7:30am ET / 4:30am PT
Watch: Broadcast live on USA Network and Univeso (Spanish)
Leeds stuttering after positive start
Leeds began the season in solid fashion, going unbeaten across their opening five Premier League matches, winning two of those games. Indeed, the 4-1 victory over Newcastle United in mid-September was the apex of that run and it appeared as though Daniel Farke could spearhead a top-half finish.
That was Leeds’ last win, with the club drawing three and losing two of the subsequent five matches. The panic button shouldn’t be pressed though, as Farke’s men currently sit 11th in the table and within touching distance of the top six.
While that might seem like a fantasy, this team have shown they can get results, even coming close to taking something off Arsenal a few weeks ago.
As such, Spurs shouldn’t be feared on Saturday lunchtime, although the North Londoners do have a decent record at this stadium in recent years.
The last time Leeds won at home in this fixture came back in May 2021. With Dominic Calvert-Lewin continuing his fine form from last term and Leeds having a solid defence, conceding just 0.9 goals per game, they will be tough to beat, that’s for sure.
Spurs hitting form at precisely the right time
When Dominic Solanke scored a last minute winner against Manchester United on October 10, not many outside of North London thought much of it.
Instead, that goal has been the catalyst for the superb run of form Spurs have been on since, winning three successive games in the Premier League. Coventry, Chelsea and Crystal Palace have all been swatted aside, with De Zerbi’s men now sitting pretty in ninth, just four points outside the top four.
There is still plenty of work to be done, that much is certain, but the signs are good that the Italian has finally turned a corner. Jan Paul van Hecke and Micky van de Ven have formed a solid defensive partnership in recent games, while the likes of Sandro Tonali, Andrew Robertson and Mathys Tel have all improved over the previous few weeks.
Spurs have won at Elland Road on their previous three visits to Yorkshire and De Zerbi will be expecting another three points again this weekend.
Team news
Noah Okafor and Anton Stach remain doubts for Farke, although the manager could include Joe Rodon in the matchday squad this weekend. Dominic Calvert-Lewin missed training during the week, but the striker should be fit for this clash.
Mykhaylo Mudryk, Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert are all absent for Spurs while Tosin Adarabioyo and Lucas Bergvall remain doubts. Savio could make the squad having returned to training this week, but he might only be fit enough for an appearance from the bench.
Prediction
This game could turn out to be a thriller, especially considering Spurs recent form in the top flight. Another victory for the away side will move them ever closer to the European spots, while Leeds could do with three points to move them closer from the drop zone.
It is hard to split these sides, so I’m going for a score draw. Leeds 1 – 1 Spurs.
