After an emphatic 3-0 midweek victory over arch-rivals Arsenal, Tottenham is inching ever-closer to achieving a Champions League spot Antonio Conte had previously dubbed ‘impossible’. ‘To Dare Is To Do’ for the rejuvenated ‘Spurs’, who now have the chance to provisionally move into the top four by avoiding defeat against Burnley, with Arsenal just a point ahead and not playing until Monday.
However, Tottenham will need no reminder of the threat Burnley pose having lost the reverse league H2H in February (1-0), but eight wins from the last nine home encounters with the ‘Clarets’ (D1) should soothe any jitters. Given Son Heung-min has his eyes firmly fixated on the Premier League (PL) Golden Boot, Burnley’s visit could prove timely, with Spurs’ last two home H2H victories coming by a whopping 9-0 aggregate scoreline!
A growing injury list is causing a selection headache for April’s PL Manager of the Month Mike Jackson ahead of Burnley’s trip to the capital. The ‘Clarets’ begin the weekend outside the bottom three by virtue of goal difference alone and face the very real prospect of falling beneath the dotted line should they lose here and Leeds avoid defeat against Brighton later in the day.
Two wins in Burnley’s last 18 Premier League away games (D7 L9) may inspire little confidence, but Jackson’s impact has been remarkable, winning ten PL points (29% of their season total) from the five games he’s been in charge! Having won their last away outing (2-1 v Watford) they could now claim back-to-back PL away wins for the first time in over a year, and if it omens you’re looking for, the second win in that run also came in London (2-0 vs Fulham)!
Players to watch: Tottenham’s Son usually likes facing Burnley, clocking up four goal involvements in the last two home H2Hs (G1, A3). Meanwhile, Maxwell Cornet should return for Burnley and he needs two more PL goals to become just the fourth Ivorian to net double figures in his maiden PL season.
Hot stat: Tottenham’s 98 PL defeats on a Sunday are the most in the competition’s history.