Tottenham vs. Norwich City
Venue: Tottenham Stadium
Kick off: 3PM
Aiming to record a third Premier League home win on the trot, Tottenham Hotspur welcome Norwich City to North London this afternoon.
The Lilywhites saw off Brentford 2-0 in midweek, while Dean Smith’s side could not get one over 10-man Newcastle United in a game that finished 1-1.
Swapping humiliating Europa Conference League nights and frozen Turf Moor pitches for a vibrant Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Antonio Conte oversaw yet another Premier League home victory as his side dispatched Brentford 2-0 on Thursday night.
Sergi Canos’s own goal in the 12th minute of the contest put Spurs into the ascendancy before Son Heung-min finished off a sweeping counter-attack for 2-0, with Tottenham’s first-choice XI showing the fringe players who were embarrassed in Slovenia how it is done.
Having now taken seven points from a possible nine in the Premier League since taking over, Conte has suddenly propelled Spurs right back into European contention as they lie sixth in the table – just one point below bitter rivals Arsenal with a game in hand.
The Lilywhites have also recorded three home wins on the bounce in all competitions since the Premier League and Serie A winner took charge – scoring at least two goals on each occasion – which is no mean feat considering Harry Kane’s continuing struggles to find his shooting boots.
With only two points separating them from fourth-placed West Ham United, things are starting to look up for Tottenham – domestically at least – but the same can arguably be said for Norwich and Dean Smith.
Despite boasting an extra man for 81 minutes after Ciaran Clark saw red for Newcastle, Norwich were unable to make that advantage count as their basement battle with the Magpies ended in a 1-1 stalemate at St James’ Park.
The 10 men of Newcastle rallied and took the lead just after the hour mark, with Callum Wilson tucking away his penalty following Billy Gilmour’s handball, but Canaries talisman Teemu Pukki finished with aplomb to rescue a point for his side.
Now unbeaten in four Premier League games – including all three during Smith’s reign so far – Norwich have at least climbed off the bottom of the table and occupy 19th spot, but they sit three points adrift of safety, and 18th-placed Burnley do have a game in hand.
Failure to beat the Premier League’s basement side with an extra man for the majority of the game is alarming, though, and Norwich travel to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium having conceded a league-high 17 goals in away games this season.
Norwich did stun Tottenham on penalties in the capital during the fifth round of the 2019-20 FA Cup, but they have lost three of their last four Premier League games with Spurs and most recently prevailed away from home in this fixture back in 2012.
Tottenham possible XI: Lloris, Sanchez, Dier, Davies, Emerson, Hojbjerg, Skipp, Reguilon, Lucas, Kane, Son.
Norwich City possible XI: Krul, Aarons, Hanley, Gibson, Williams, McLean, Rupp, Gilmour, Sargent, Pukki, Cantwell.
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