Prediction: Tottenham vs Southampton

Verdict: Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals 

Best Odds: 11/10

Bookmaker: Bet365

Two sides who endured very different fates in the EFL Cup on Tuesday night, a struggling Spurs will welcome Southampton to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Tottenham

Starting with the hosts, after crashing out of the Carabao Cup away at League Two’s Colchester in midweek, the lowest-ranked side still in the tournament, fans around North London have every right to start panicking. Despite putting in a much-needed performance in their 4-0 victory over Crystal Palace a fortnight ago, Mauricio Pochettino has seen his side come crashing back down to earth. Once again throwing away two second-half strikes and watching Leicester clinch a 2-1 victory at the King Power last weekend, Spurs’ Argentinian boss has now seen his men win just one of their last seven matchups across all formats, a run that stems back to the opening weekend. Now in the midst of a growing battle to reclaim a top-four finish, fans around North London have seen their side also win just two of their last nine Premier League appearances. Showing some glaring issues both domestically and in Europe, Pochettino will be desperate for Harry Kane to once again step up on Saturday. Finding the net with a consolation strike at Leicester last time out, the 26-year-old has now scored in back-to-back outings.

Team News

Tottenham are still waiting for summer signings Giovani Lo Celso and Ryan Sessegnon to return to fitness. The Argentine is not expected to be back before November but the club are hopeful that Sessegnon is back earlier.

Southampton

As for the visitors, while Tottenham may have seen their Carabao Cup dreams come to an abrupt end on Tuesday, Southampton enjoyed a memorable night across the South Coast. Picking up a commanding 4-0 win away at bitter rivals Portsmouth and booking their spot in the fourth round, Head Coach Ralph Hasenhüttl saw his side bounce back from their defeat against Bournemouth last week. With their sights firmly set on making a charge for the top half of the table come May, fans around St. Mary’s have seen their side lose just one of their last six matches across all competitions, a run that also saw them snatch a point off of Manchester United last month. Showing some real improvements under the former RB Leipzig boss, Southampton should also be boosted by their most recent meeting against Saturday’s hosts. When the two sides met back in March, the Saints picked up a very impressive 2-1 win on the South Coast.

Team News

Alex McCarthy will undergo a late fitness test before his place in the Southampton squad is confirmed. Summer signing Moussa Djenepo remains sidelined with a thigh injury.

Key Factors to Consider

• When the two sides met back in March Southampton came away with a 2-1 win.
• Tottenham striker Harry Kane has seven goals in his last six matches for club and country.
• Spurs have won just one of their last seven matches across all competitions.
• The Lilywhites have also won just two of their last nine Premier League matches.
• Southampton have scored in each of their previous seven meetings against Spurs.

Conclusion

While Southampton might travel to North London as the underdog, the Saints will see this weekend as an opportunity to capitalize on a fragile Spurs. Two sides who have seen plenty of action at both ends of the pitch since opening the new campaign, Saturday could prove to be yet another lively encounter in the capital. With six of the last seven meetings between the two sides seeing both teams find the net and over 2.5 goals at full-time, we’re backing a similar outcome this weekend.

Verdict: Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals 

Best Odds: 11/10

Bookmaker: Bet365