[Pre-match Thread] Tottenham Hotspur vs Burnley F.C. (11/05/24)
Spurs vs Burnley
Competition: Premier League
Date: 11th May 2024
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Kickoff: 15:00 (BST)
Team News
A sextet of Spurs players nursing season-ending injuries in Timo Werner (hamstring), Ben Davies (calf), Manor Solomon (knee), Ryan Sessegnon (thigh), Fraser Forster (ankle) and Destiny Udogie (thigh) are still missing, but the hosts have no fresh concerns to report from their unsuccessful trip to Merseyside.
However, Emerson Royal - deputising at left-back once again - was run ragged by Salah throughout the 90 minutes and was also spotted arguing with Cristian Romero at half time, forcing Guglielmo Vicario to step in and drag the aggrieved Argentine away.
Postecoglou played down the fracas and has not suggested that he will be dropping Emerson any time soon, though, despite Spurs fans pleading for Micky van de Ven to come in at left-back and Radu Dragusin to earn a rare opportunity in the heart of defence.
Meanwhile, a forgettable afternoon for Burnley centre-back Maxime Esteve last weekend saw the Montpellier HSC loanee booked before being withdrawn in first-half injury time due to illness, but he has since recovered and is expected to start this one.
Aaron Ramsey (knee), Jordan Beyer (thigh), Nathan Redmond (thigh) and Ameen Al-Dakhil (unspecified) are all out for the season, and this game will also come too soon for tricky winger Luca Koleosho, also nursing his own severe knee problem.
Should Esteve not be risked, Hjalmar Ekdal - who has faced his own injury setbacks this season - is the only natural candidate to replace him, while Zeki Amdouni and David Datro Fofana were both restricted to substitute outings last time out but will scrap it out to potentially replace Lyle Foster in the number nine spot.
Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:
Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Emerson; Bentancur, Bissouma; Kulusevski, Maddison, Son; Richarlison
Burnley possible starting lineup:
Muric; Assignon, O'Shea, Esteve, Vitinho; Gudmundsson, Cullen, Berge, Brownhill, Odobert; Amdouni
Match Stats
Head-to-head
- Spurs have won the last four meetings at home without conceding a goal.
- Burnley are winless in 12 away games versus Spurs in all competitions since a 4-1 League Cup victory at White Hart Lane in January 1983.
Tottenham Hotspur
- Tottenham have suffered four straight Premier League defeats – their worst run since losing six in a row in 2004.
- Meanwhile, Ange Postecoglou could become the first Spurs manager since Ossie Ardiles in 1994 to lose five in a row in the league.
- Postecoglou’s side have gone 13 home league matches without a clean sheet.
- They have conceded four or more goals in four Premier League fixtures this season, only doing so more often in 2013-14.
- Son Heung-min has five goals and three assists across his past six Premier League meetings with Burnley, scoring a hat-trick in the reverse fixture this season.
Burnley
- Burnley were beaten for only the second time in nine matches last weekend at home to Newcastle (W2, D5).
- The Clarets have lost all 11 games so far this season against the current top six.
- They could become the ninth side to be relegated from the Premier League at least four times.
- Vincent Kompany’s side have scored nine of their 39 league goals from outside the penalty area, the highest percentage of any team in the division.
- Arijanet Muric has a save percentage of 81.3%, the best of any goalkeeper in the Premier League.
Head to head (h2h) history and results
Tottenham wins: 54
Draws: 28
Burnley wins: 42
Pundit Predictions
Chris Sutton
From Burnley's perspective, the fact Nottingham Forest's points deduction was upheld means they are not down yet, but if they don't win here then they will be relegated.
It felt like the end for them after the Newcastle game last weekend and while they have not quite been given a reprieve, I suppose the good news is that they are still not out of it. They might even think this is a good time to play a Tottenham team who have lost four in a row.
Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou will be concerned about his side's loss of form but this is the ideal fixture for them to bounce back. I'd still say Spurs have a had a good season even if fourth place appears beyond them now, and they will have a point to prove here.
Sutton's prediction: 3-1
Mark Lawrenson
Tottenham will beat Burnley easily. Spurs kept the ball great against Liverpool but they never went anywhere until Richarlison came on and they thought, ‘F this, let’s go and have a bash’. They looked completely different and I’m a fan of the manager but I just didn’t get it.
Tottenham 3-0 Burnley.
Paul Merson
I don't see Tottenham beating Manchester City, so all of a sudden, this becomes a must-win game to confirm fifth spot. A few weeks ago, Spurs were going head-to-head with Aston Villa for a place in the UEFA Champions League, but suddenly, they could be leapfrogged by Chelsea if they continue their free fall!
Burnley miss chance after chance and concede a lot of goals, so I'm going for a Tottenham win in a game that could see a lorry load of goals.
Prediction: Tottenham 3-2 Burnley