Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 17/25
Bookmaker: ZetBet
Looking to end a two-game winless streak at home, Tottenham Hotspur welcome London rivals Fulham for a Premier League derby on Sunday.
Ange Postecoglou’s side were held to a 2-2 draw by Roma in the Europa League on Thursday, conceding a late equalizer, while Fulham suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers in their previous league outing.
Tottenham Hotspur
When auxiliary goalkeeper Fraser Forster made a stunning last-minute save in Thursday’s clash with Roma, it seemed Tottenham had secured all three Europa League points. Goals from Son Heung-min and Brennan Johnson had put Spurs ahead in a frantic encounter.
However, after seeing two second-half goals ruled out for offside, Claudio Ranieri’s Roma finally equalized through veteran defender Mats Hummels, who smashed home at the far post to cap off a chaotic night in North London.
The 2-2 draw marked the second consecutive Tottenham match with four goals, though all four went their way last weekend in a dominant win over a struggling Manchester City, lifting Spurs to sixth in the Premier League.
Heading into gameweek 12, Tottenham sit just three points behind Brighton, Arsenal, and Chelsea. Still, the emphatic victory over City is their only win in the last four matches across all competitions, a run that includes back-to-back defeats to Galatasaray and Ipswich Town.
On a positive note, Spurs have scored in eight consecutive home games since their 1-0 loss to Arsenal in September. However, under Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham have suffered seven defeats in 16 Premier League London derbies since his appointment in 2023.
Team News
Postecoglou has revealed that defender Cristian Romero is close to recovering from his toe injury but is unlikely to be fit for Sunday’s match.
Romero will be one of seven absentees for Spurs, joining Mikey Moore (illness), Guglielmo Vicario (ankle), Micky van de Ven (hamstring), Richarlison (hamstring), Wilson Odobert (hamstring), and the suspended Rodrigo Bentancur, who is serving the second match of his seven-game domestic ban.
Bentancur played 78 minutes in the midweek draw with Roma but is expected to make way for Yves Bissouma in midfield. Meanwhile, Brennan Johnson’s place in the starting XI could be under threat with James Maddison returning to the side.
Fulham
Among all managers who have overseen at least 10 matches for Tottenham’s men’s team, Postecoglou ranks as the second-worst in terms of Premier League London derbies, with a 44% loss rate, just slightly better than Glenn Hoddle’s 48%.
However, Spurs are set to face a Fulham side reeling from a heavy 5-1 defeat to relegation-threatened Wolverhampton Wanderers at Craven Cottage. After scoring an early goal through Alex Iwobi, the Cottagers were overwhelmed by goals from Matheus Cunha (2), Goncalo Guedes, and Joao Gomes.
That loss ended Fulham’s three-game unbeaten run and dropped them one point and three places behind Tottenham, who sit in ninth. Despite this, Marco Silva’s side remains firmly in the hunt for continental competition as the season approaches a third complete.
A bright spot for Fulham was Iwobi’s goal, extending their streak to 13 consecutive games in all competitions with at least one goal. They’ve not been shut out since the opening Premier League match of the season against Manchester United, and even then they were arguably unlucky.
Fulham also boast a strong record in London derbies, having gone unbeaten in their last seven Premier League clashes in the capital. They could extend that run to eight for the first time, with their most recent victory being a 3-0 thrashing of Spurs at Craven Cottage in March. However, Fulham’s last league win at Tottenham’s ground dates back to March 2013.
Team News
Fulham will be without key midfielder Harrison Reed, who underwent knee surgery just over a week ago and is expected to be sidelined until early January.
Manager Marco Silva also confirmed that Joachim Andersen will be out for “some games” with a calf strain, while Jorge Cuenca is unavailable as well. However, Sander Berge appears to be fit and available.
Issa Diop will likely fill in for Andersen at the heart of Fulham’s defense. Additionally, Bernd Leno, Reiss Nelson, Alex Iwobi, and Emile Smith Rowe, who all used to play for Arsenal, can expect a hostile reception from the home fans.
Conclusion
Spurs might have had few complaints if Roma had taken all three points on Thursday, as Postecoglou’s weakened defense allowed numerous chances for Ranieri’s side and could easily be breached by a goal-hungry Fulham.
Therefore, attack should be Tottenham’s best form of defense on Sunday. While it may not be a flawless performance, the hosts should be able to exploit Fulham’s recent defensive weaknesses, emerging victorious and ending Fulham’s unbeaten run in London derbies.
Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 17/25
Bookmaker: ZetBet
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