Tottenham’s bid to win the Premier League title usually fades and dies in March or April, not so this season. Failure to beat West Bromwich Albion at home on Saturday has left them 13 points behind leaders Manchester City and manager Mauricio Pochettino doesn’t sound confident about winning the title. He’ll be even less confident if his team can’t get three points at Leicester City on Tuesday.
Spurs conceded an early goal on Saturday but fought back to get a 1-1 draw thanks to a Harry Kane equalizer. There’s not been too much good news for Spurs in the past week but the fact that Kane has scored in the last two games is a sign he’s getting back to being the scoring machine he was in September.
Tottenham dropped down to fifth in the Premier League table after that late Arsenal winner. They have won four of their away league games this season but lost the last two at Manchester United and Arsenal. They have failed to score in their last two away league games and their defence has conceded in eight of their last nine league and cup games though they have scored in 16 of their last 20 away league and cup matches.
Last season Spurs won 6-1 at the King Power Stadium and would kill for a repetition of that kind of result in this latest visit to Leicester particularly if Kane was to hit another hat-trick. With another awkward looking game away at Watford at the weekend, Spurs could find that title challenge totally extinguished by the time they play their next game at Wembley.
Leicester City are 12th in the table on 14 points only four above the bottom three. They only have two points from their last three league games and conceded in six of their last seven league and cup games. City have lost three of their last five home league games and the big problem they have is coping with games against sides in the top six. Their last eight games against the top sides have all ended in defeat and the last 11 games against the elite have only produced three points. All of which makes that title victory feel a very long while ago.
Another big problem is the form of Jamie Vardy who has only scored once since October 29 and just once since September 27. He’s just as important to City as Kane is to Spurs and once he starts scoring on a regular basis, then the points may begin to flow again.
Conclusion
Tottenham only have one point from their last two league games and their season looks to be one in which clinching a top four place is their key aim. Key players such as Kane, Eriksen and Alli haven’t quite been firing on all cylinders in recent games. When they do, the points will be earned again, but it’ll be too late for a title challenge unless the Manchester sides fall apart. Leicester City only have three league wins so far and struggle big-time when up against the top sides in the table. Vardy isn’t scoring consistently for them and that’s adding to the reasons for their inconsistency. No wonder Gary Lineker was getting all emotional on Twitter seeing Drinkwater and Kante playing in midfield for Chelsea at the weekend. A bet on both teams to score looks the safest in this game with neither side’s defence that impregnable at present.
The Key Stats
Last Five Premier League Results – Most recent first
Leicester City – DLDWW
Tottenham Hotspur – DLWLW
Head to Head – Last Five League Meetings
18/05/17 – Leicester City 1 Tottenham Hotspur 6
29/10/16 – Tottenham Hotspur 1 Leicester City 1
13/01/16 – Tottenham Hotspur 0 Leicester City 1
22/08/15 – Leicester City 1 Tottenham Hotspur 1
21/03/15 – Tottenham Hotspur 4 Leicester City 3
- Leicester City have gone three league games without a win.
- Leicester City have conceded in six of their last seven league and cup matches but also scored in six of the last seven.
- Both teams have scored in five of the last seven Leicester City league and cup matches.
- Tottenham have lost their last two away league games.
- Tottenham have conceded in eight of their last nine league and cup games.
- Both teams have scored in six of the last nine Tottenham league and cup matches.
- Tottenham have scored in nine of their last 12 away Premier League games.