MY ACCOUNT
– Tottenham are struggling in their top-four fight but have won their last four home games
– Brighton are on the up but have won only two of their 12 meetings with top-half teams
– Recommended bet: Draw
With the race for Champions League places hitting the final straight, both Tottenham and Brighton will see this encounter as a must-win if they have any realistic hope of clinging onto the coattails rest of the top-four challengers.
For Tottenham, a failure to finish in the UEFA’s elite competition would cap a desperately disappointing season, and interim manager Cristian Stellini leads a squad devoid of confidence and momentum after a chaotic campaign.
In the visiting dugout, Roberto De Zerbi has worked a miracle. A superb campaign could yet bring silverware in the FA Cup, while European football next season is cautiously becoming an expectation rather than a pipe dream among supporters.
A dazed Spurs team still has the heavyweight quality to bounce off the ropes and land a crunching blow. But a more nimble, progressive Brighton will be looking to out-manoeuvre their ailing top-four rivals and deliver the knockout punch.
Team news
Tottenham are without injured full-backs Emerson, Ben Davies and Ryan Sessegnon, while midfielders Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur are out with a fractured ankle and ACL rupture, respectively.
Lucas Moura is suspended after his red card against Everton on Monday, while fellow attacker Richarlison is unlikely to return from injury in time for this match.
Brighton midfielders Adam Lallana and Jakub Moder remain out through injury, and winger Jeremy Sarmiento will be out for at least a month after fracturing a metatarsal.
Right-back Tariq Lamptey has an outside chance of returning from a knee injury, and midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo are expected to recover from minor injuries.
The stats
While Tottenham are seen to be struggling and Brighton flying, there is very little between the pair in recent form as Spurs have taken 14 points from their last eight league games, and Brighton have taken just one more, 15 from their previous eight.
While Tottenham have failed to win any of their last four away games, they have won each of their final four at home, including victories over Manchester City and Chelsea.
Brighton have lost only one of their last 11 Premier League matches and are unbeaten in their previous seven league away games, but all seven matches were against teams in the bottom nine.
Away at top-half teams, De Zerbi’s men have a less impressive record of one win and three defeats from five, with the victory coming on the opening weekend of the season at Manchester United.
Indeed, that Old Trafford success is one of just two wins from 12 meetings with top-half teams this term, with the Seagulls losing seven of those matches.
Prediction
While it is fair that supporters are panning Tottenham and championing Brighton given their respective pre-season expectations, there is not a huge difference between the two teams either in the table or on the pitch.
That should result in a close-fought affair in north London this weekend.
The Seagulls have struggled to contain stronger hosts, conceding at least two goals in four of their five trips to top-half teams, while Spurs have netted at least twice in each of their last three home games.
But a Tottenham side who have managed just two wins in six home games against top-half visitors and have conceded late equalisers against relegation strugglers in their last two league outings may struggle to do enough to finish off up-and-coming Brighton.
Back the draw, available at 5/2 with LiveScore Bet.
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