So they meet again. Just days after playing to a 2-2 draw in the FA Cup third round, Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City will do it one more time at White Hart Lane, this time in a Premier League matchup.
The two clubs are tied for the fewest losses thus far with just two apiece. Is another stalemate in the cards or will one team get a much needed win? Find out as we preview this battle between two of the top four in the Premier League table. Meanwhile, check out our preview of table-topping Arsenal’s much-anticipated clash with Liverpool here.
[sc:Soccer ]Tottenham vs. Leicester City Preview
Where: White Hart Lane, London
When: Wednesday, January 13, 4:00 PM ET
Line: Tottenham -146 vs. Leicester City +319, tie +260; total 2.5 – view all EPL lines
Betting on Tottenham Hotspur (9-9-2, 36 pts)
Tottenham Hotspur should consider themselves a bit lucky to have forced an FA Cup Third Round replay against Leicester City. Spurs needed an 89th minute penalty from a controversial hand-ball decision, but to Harry Kane’s credit, he made no mistake from the spot.
[sc:Soccer240banner ]However, it should be noted that manager Mauricio Pochettino started a significantly altered starting line-up in that match, and should return to a full-strength first 11 as they host Leicester again this Wednesday.
Spurs have been quite the stingy hosts this season, conceding only seven goals, the third-best home defensive record in the league. They haven’t necessarily capitalized on their defensive solidity, though, as they’ve won just five of their 10 home games (5-4-1).
Nevertheless, that rock solid defense puts Spurs in a situation where they’re often just a goal away from claiming all three points, and Harry Kane is more than capable of providing that decisive goal.
Kane is Tottenham’s top scorer with 14 goals in all competitions this season, and he’ll be very confident in getting more in front of his home fans. Kane has scored seven goals in his last seven home games in all competitions.
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Betting on Leicester City (12-3-5, 39 pts)
Leicester City didn’t have a particularly merry Christmas period. The Foxes collected a grand total of two points as they lost one and drew two during their three games in eight days. That run of bad results saw them drop to second in the table.
As if Leicester’s inability to score even a single goal in those three games wasn’t concerning enough, the Foxes will also have to deal with the fact that Jamie Vardy may miss out on their visit to Tottenham with a groin injury. Vardy has played an integral part in Leicester’s success this season, scoring a league-best 15 goals.
Leicester would miss Vardy’s pace and clinical finishing against a solid Spurs defense, especially in the counterattack, but Riyad Mahrez and Shinji Okazaki will be dangerous in their own right.
Mahrez, the Premier League’s fourth leading scorer with 13 goals, struck six in the first three games of December before cooling off from Boxing Day on. Meanwhile, Okazaki actually scored in the FA Cup against Spurs as he came on as a second half substitute.
Leicester are the most dangerous away side in the Premier League this season, with six wins and just one defeat in 10. They’ve also scored 21 goals away from home, comfortably the most in the league.
Writer’s Prediction
Leicester go a fourth-straight game without a win as Spurs (-149) run out 2-0 winners.
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