Tottenham Hotspur will look to return to winning ways when they travel to St. Mary’s Stadium to face Southampton on Saturday.
The Lilywhites are coming on the back of a three-game winless streak in the Premier League, during which they have suffered disappointing defeats to Burnley and Chelsea.
Spurs, did, however, progress to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League, thanks to a resounding 4-0 aggregate win over Borussia Dortmund.
But, Mauricio Pochettino’s side will be desperately looking for all three points as they look to maintain their top four status. They are currently third in the league table but any further slip-up this weekend will allow Manchester United to close the gap or even go level on points with Spurs.
As for Southampton, they are just two points away from relegation-threatened Fulham and are coming on the back of a 2-3 defeat to Manchester United.
However, the Saints won’t go down without a fight, having secured eight points in their last seven matches and the focus will be on securing at least a point against Tottenham Hotspur, who aren’t amongst the most in-form teams in the division at the moment.
Team News
Southampton
Star striker Danny Ings is nearing his return to full fitness but the Saturday fixture against Tottenham might come a little too soon for the Liverpool loanee. Thus, manager Ralph Hasenhuttl might once again have to make several alterations in attack, especially with Charlie Austin struggling to impress as the lone forward.
Mario Lemina is also unlikely to feature this weekend along with defender Michael Obafemi, who has been ruled out for the rest of the campaign.
Tottenham Hotspur
Pochettino is hopeful for the return of Dele Alli, who has trained with the team during their preparation for Southampton. However, it’s unlikely that the England international will be handed a start this weekend.
Harry Winks is also a doubt, after taking a knock against Borussia Dortmund in midweek. He could be replaced by Eric Dier, who will return to the starting lineup after missing out on the last four league games.
In addition, Kieran Trippier has been ruled out against Southampton due to a gluteal muscle strain, meaning Serge Aurier could take his place in the right-back slot.
Predicted Lineups
Southampton (3-4-1-2): Gunn; Bednarek, Yoshida, Vestergaard; Valery, Romeu, Hojbjerg, Bertrand; Ward-Prowse, Redmond; Long.
Tottenham Hotspur(4-2-3-1): Lloris; Aurier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose; Sissoko, Dier; Son Heung-Min, Lamela, Eriksen; Kane.
Prediction
Southampton 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur
