These teams were the surprise packages last season, finishing third and first respectively in the most unlikely final table in history. Tottenham have kept up the good work and are the only team still unbeaten in the Premiership, but they have emerged as draw kings of late and missed the chance to go top of the table. Leicester have thus far made a hash of their attempts to defend the title they so spectacularly won last season and find themselves well off the pace in the bottom half of the table. Both teams could do with a win, and it should make for an absorbing clash.
Leicester qualified for the Champions League for the first time in their history with that title win, and they seem to have been forgoing the Premiership to focus on the Europe’s top competition. Their league form has suffered, but with three wins out of three in Europe they are virtually assured of making the last 16 of the Champions League and can now surely concentrate on domestic matters. That was evident when they beat Crystal Palace 3-1 last time out. They looked like the Leicester of last season, full of pace and energy and dynamism, and they blew Palace away. With three wins, two draws and four defeats from their opening nine fixtures Leicester are nine points off the top of the table and 500/1 to win the league once more, so they need to show more resilience and string together some consecutive wins. But it will be a tall order to take another three points from White Hart Lane.
Spurs have only lost once in all competitions this season and that was in the Champions League, where they are playing home games at Wembley for the bigger crowds it can host and where they lost to Monaco. They have made White Hart Lane into a fortress and haven’t lost all season home or away in the league. But they have sorely missed injured striker Harry Kane, last season’s top scorer. In his absence, Son Hyeung-Min initially looked lively but has since struggled, and Vincent Janssen has really had a tough time adapting to the Premiership.
How they could do with Leicester’s attacking options. Jamie Vardy, last season’s player of the season, has partnered new £29 million signing Islam Slimani for much of the season, with star player Riyad Mahrez the creative spark. They have missed the industry and ingenuity of Shinji Okazaki up front in selecting Slimani, more of a wrecking ball with great aerial ability, but Okazaki returned to the starting 11 against Leicester and scored, while new forward Ahmed Musa also got his first goal for the club, leaving Ranieri with a selection headache.
They will come up against the meanest defence in the league: Tottenham have conceded just four goals in 13 games this season. They have been without star defender Toby Alderweireld, but have still kept two clean sheets in a row. They have shipped just once in their last five games in all competitions, and you can imagine them stifling the life out of this game. Under 2.5 goals looks a good option at 2.00 with Bet365 and various others.
Although Tottenham haven’t won in three, you can imagine them winning this and Bet Bright has 1.66 on a Spurs win. Many will be tempted by the draw at 4.00 with William Hill as they drew twice last season (in the league and cup) but in the last league meeting Leicester plundered a 1-0 win from White Hart Lane and are 6.50 with Coral to win here, putting an end to Spurs’ unbeaten run.
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