As 2019 turns to 2020, Jose Mourinho has Tottenham Hotspur on the upswing, having added a cutting edge to the side that was missing this campaign before he got there. And while they’re refocused again, there is still a ton of work to do.
They really miss their captain and No. 1 Hugo Lloris, who remains out for the New Year’s Day clash at Southampton FC. Defenders Danny Rose and Ben Davies remain out as well while Heung-min Son will continue serving his suspension. Meanwhile Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko are back available for selection, having missed out on the weekend draw with Norwich City due to suspension.
Defensively, Spurs have been shambolic this season and they’ll need to correct that if they are to make a run at a top four finish and making another deep run in the UCL.
Turning to the hosts, strikers Shane Long and Michael Obafemi will be game time decisions, as they are battling injury and illness respectively. Defender Yan Valery is a doubt, as he continues fighting an infection.
Overall, Saints are probably where they deserve to be, hovering just above the relegation zone. Ralph Hasenhuttl‘s side recovered nicely from the humiliating 9-0 thrashing by Leicester City at their own ground, but they will need to add defensive reinforcements in January.
If they can add some quality at the back they should finish out the season free and clear of danger from the dreaded drop. Eventually, the front office is going to realize that they need to spend money, otherwise every season will be a relegation scare like this one, and the last two.
Tottenham Hotspur at Southampton FC FYIs
January 1, 3pm St. Mary’s Stadium
Tottenham Hotspur Starting XI Prediction: go to this link
Form Guide: Tottenham Hotspur- DWLWW Southampton FC- DWWLL
Odds via Betfair Exchange: Tottenham Hotspur win 6/5, Draw 14/5, Southampton FC win 5/2
Premier League Series History: Tottenham Hotspur wins 22, Draw 7, Southampton FC wins 12
Google Result Probability: Tottenham Hotspur win 45%, Draw 27%, Southampton FC win 28%
Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 3, Southampton FC 2
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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