Tottenham and Leicester look to keep their European qualification bids on track when they meet at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday. We look at the betting.
Recommended bets
- 2pts Tottenham/Under 3.5 Goals at 9/4
- 1pt Harry Kane to score anytime at 7/5
- 0.5pt Harry Kane to score a brace at 10/1
For details of advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record
Tottenham v Leicester
- 4pm BST kick-off on Sky Sports
- Match Odds: Home 13/10 | Draw 12/5 | Away 2/1
The noise surrounding Jose Mourinho’s tenure at Spurs has dropped in recent weeks following a positive response to some shaky post-lockdown showings. While they haven’t exactly played riveting football it’s hard to argue with Tottenham's overall improvement since the restart: four wins, two draws and just one defeat.
Putting an appalling performance, and 3-1 loss, at Sheffield United to one side Mourinho’s previously defensively shambolic team have conceded only three times in six behind-closed-doors games and now look a good bet for clinching a place in next season's Europa League.
Leicester breathed new life into their dwindling top-four push by comfortably beating Sheffield United in midweek but it'll mean little if they fail to build on it in north London, especially with Manchester United - who they're only above on goal difference - awaiting them on the final day.
Whether the Foxes have turned a corner or merely managed to win a couple of home games either side of their 4-1 thrashing at lowly Bournemouth is anyone’s guess, as their overall form since lockdown has been poor (W2, D3, L3 in all competitions).
But like Spurs, defensively they've been OK aside from one hopeless performance - six goals conceded in the other seven matches.
Considering you have to go back to New Year’s Day’s 3-0 win at Newcastle for the last time Brendan Rodgers’ team scored more than once on the road too, I'm not expecting a ton of goals.
I'm also backing Tottenham to win for a fourth straight home game, and Leicester to make it eight winless on the road.
Things aren't easy for the Foxes at the moment without James Maddison, Ben Chilwell, Caglar Soyuncu and Ricardo Pereira, and to make matters worse during this time of increased fixture congestion, Spurs have had an extra day's recovery.
Tottenham/Under 3.5 Goals at 9/4 is a price I’ll be taking.
The match also sees two England strikers go head to head, well, sort of. Jamie Vardy hung up his international boots because of constantly playing second fiddle to Harry Kane.
Vardy is the Premier League's leading scorer and closing in on the Golden Boot so it would be no surprise to see him score at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. But against a Mourinho team that employs a low defensive block to try and negate the threat of pacey players like him running in behind it makes little sense to choose this of all games to back him to find the net.
Kane on the other hand is just starting to find his form. The England captain’s August goal troubles are a familiar story when seasons begin, and post-lockdown it’s been a similar tale – not helped might I add by Spurs’ negative approach.
My comment might sound stupid given that he scored twice in Tottenham’s first three Project Restart matches, but it was the rustiness which caused him to miss a host of chances he’d usually bury that was noticeable. In scoring with both of his attempts on goal at Newcastle to end a three-match scoreless streak he looked like his familiar, ruthless self.
A Boosted 10/1 for Kane to score a brace is a superb price, especially when the best you can get anywhere else is 15/2. I’ll be backing Kane anytime at 7/5.
To leave the best reason until last, the Spurs striker has scored 12 goals in nine matches against Leicester. Hopefully, the Foxes continue to be sick of the sight of him come Sunday evening.
Prediction: Tottenham 2-1 Leicester (Sky Bet odds: 15/2)
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