This Saturday’s match of the 33rd round of the English Premiership definitely has a favourite and it is team from London that has five-game winning streak although it occupies just the four place in the table, while on the other hand the home team, Stoke, currently occupies the penultimate position and has three points fewer than 17th-placed Crystal Palace. Besides, the Spurs won their four previous head-to-head and have scored 13 goals in the process and received just one
Of course, the situation doesn’t loot encouraging at all for Stoke ahead of Saturday’s match, but they simply has no other option than to play maximally aggressively against the Spurs in order to win so much needed points for the survival struggle. After the lates streak of three consecutive defeats this team moved down to the penultimate place in the table and has three points fewer than 17th-placed Crystal Palace, while ahead of them is Southampton that has one point more and has played one match less.
True, it should be said that Stoke is in the middle of series of matches with very strong teams and for example last three were suffered by Manchester City and Everton at home and last weekend by Arsenal away. Now, their guests are very good Spurs who have five-game winning streak in the league. Regarding problems with absences, defenders Zouma, Wimmer and Stafylidis, and forward Choupo-Moting are injured, while midfielder Adam is suspended due to accrued yellow cards.
Probable lineups Stoke: Butland – Bauer, Shawcross, Martins Indi, Pieters – Cameron, Ndiaye – Shaqiri, Allen, Sobhi – Diouf
We have already said that this match with next-to-last Stoke comes for the guests from London after a series of five consecutive victories in the league, which in turn strengthen their grip over the fourth place in the table, given that Tottenham has even eight points more than 5th-placed Chelsea at the moment. The Spurs defeated still reigning champion of England and their great city rival right in previous round by 3-1 at the Stamford Bridge, after they were trailing behind for one goal up to 45 minute.
In the match manager Pochettino didn’t use the team’s best scorer Kane from the very start as he is still recovering from injury, but now against Stoke he might get chance to play from the first minute, which means that Lamela should move to the bench. Unlike Kane, not fully ready stopper Alderweireld and midfilder Winks will probably not be in the team, given that Pochettino has excellent Sanchez and Dembele who play at same positions.
Probable lineups Tottenham: Lloris – Trippier, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Davies – Dier, Dembele – Son, Alli, Eriksen – Kane
Of course that 4th-placed Tottenham is regarded as great favourite to win match with the penultimate Stoke but since the home team is struggling to survive we believe that they will not easily surrender to the guests from London.
Pick: Asian handicap +1.5
Stoke 2.0 - 10/10 @1XBet