Tottenham Hotspur FC
Fulham FC
Fulham FC
Tottenham and Fulham meet in London clash with both sides seeking first win in four
Tottenham to win 1-0
Jose Mourinho will not have been happy with his team’s results over the past few weeks, having seen his side slip from a commanding position at the top of the table, to sitting a point off the Champions League places in 7th.
On many occasions up until recently, their more reserved style of play has worked a treat, allowing teams to come onto them before hitting back on the counterattack.
Right now, they are finding it harder to do that, with teams like Wolves, Leicester and Liverpool all having the capability of defending well against such a style of play.
As for Fulham, they are also without victory from their last four matches, however draws are far more valuable near the bottom of the table, and Fulham’s four in a row have kept them within touching distance of 17th place.
This could be a tighter game than many would anticipate between teams in 7th and 18th position, respectively.
Form Guide (all comps): DLLWD
Reasons to be cheerful:
Just a point off top four despite bad form
Mourinho will fancy his chances against Fulham
Reasons to be fearful:
Found it harder to score goals of late
Tend to concede late in matches
Although still a point off the Champions League places, Jose Mourinho will be unhappy with the way his side has fallen away of late, picking up just two points from their last four matches.
Back-to-back defeats against Leicester and Liverpool showed that, when playing the best teams around them at the top, there is still something missing from the team that would allow them to take their season to the next level.
Spurs fans will be frustrated at the number of goals their side are conceding late in matches, throwing away a league-high nine points in the last 10 minutes of games this season. They will need to toughen up to get back near the top once more.
Fulham are expected to present an easier target for Mourinho’s men, but they have shown themselves to be no pushovers in recent matches.
Star Man – Harry Kane
The Spurs star loves a London derby, having scored 35 goals previously, with only Thierry Henry for Arsenal scoring more.
Form Guide (all comps): LDDDD
Reasons to be cheerful
No defeats in four is real progress for Cottagers
Have the tools to frustrate Spurs
Reasons to be fearful
Must start picking up wins eventually
Terrible record in this fixture
Fulham manager Scott Parker will be pleased with the marked improvement his side has shown over the previous month or so.
Four draws and a defeat to Manchester City from their last five matches is a huge improvement from the seven losses they picked up from their opening nine games of the season. They have frustrated teams like Southampton, Newcastle and Liverpool of late and will be hoping to add Spurs to that list.
They will, however, need to start picking up valuable wins at some stage. If, theoretically, they were to draw every game between now and the end of the season, that would still only give them 34 points, which in many seasons would not be enough to guarantee safety.
With only two points between themselves and 17th place Burnley, a win or two would do them the world of good. It’s hard to see them earning one here, however.
Star Man – De Cordova-Reid
Has popped up with important goals for Fulham this season and could find another against Spurs here.
Tottenham are favourites though will be made to work hard
Fulham have proved to be solid at the back recently
Could be one goal to separate them
Spurs know that nothing other than a win will be satisfactory here – many fans and pundits alike have criticised Mourinho’s style of play, and now that results are harder to come by away, those voices will only grow.
Having said that, they have the firepower to kill Fulham off early here, if they play with the right attitude and intensity.
The longer this game stays goalless, the more confidence Fulham will gain.
Tottenham to win 1-0
