TEAM NEWS
Defender Alfie Mawson remains a long-term absentee with a knee injury. New signing Ryan Babel could make his Fulham debut after signing from Besiktas earlier this week.
Tottenham’s Moussa Sissoko has been ruled out with a groin problem, but Eric Dier, who has not played since early December due to appendicitis, could be involved.
Harry Kane is sidelined with an ankle injury and fellow forward Son Heung-min remains absent on international duty. With Lucas Moura not yet ready to return from a knee injury, that could mean Fernando Llorente starts up front.
MOTD COMMENTATOR’S NOTES
@SimonBrotherton: Tottenham will have to overcome the absence of their two biggest goal threats, as well as opponents who are desperate for points. Harry Kane and Son Heung-min have scored almost half of Spurs 46 goals in the league, but Kane’s out until March and Son is at the Asian Cup with South Korea.
Tottenham’s squad isn’t the biggest and will be at full stretch with the EFL Cup semi-final second leg against Chelsea coming up, as well as FA Cup and Champions League games to mix in with their Premier League push.
Fulham go into the weekend five points from safety and with an inferior goal difference, so they need to turn things around quickly on the pitch as well as in their yoga classes.
VIEW FROM THE DUGOUT
Fulham manager Claudio Ranieri: “It will be a tough match, but we are ready. I prepare the team to improve our mistakes and play our own football. “We have to be very awake, as every situation is dangerous.”
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino on coping without Harry Kane: “When he is one of the best strikers in Europe it is going to affect performances.
“We are positive we can cope and we have players who can cover his position. It won’t affect our approach to the games.”
LAWRO’S PREDICTION
Even without Harry Kane, Moussa Sissoko and Son Heung-min, I still think Spurs will have far too much for Fulham, who have only signed one player – former Liverpool winger Ryan Babel – this month.
Prediction: 0-2
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- Tottenham have won the four most recent meetings in all competitions.
- Fulham have failed to score more than once in any of their last 12 Premier League matches against Spurs.
- This is the 50th top-flight fixture between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs have 28 wins to Fulham’s eight, with 13 draws.
Fulham
- It’s three competitive defeats in a row for Fulham – but they did win their most recent league fixture at home.
- They have set their worst record after 22 matches of a league season (W3, D5, L14).
- The Cottagers have conceded 49 goals, more than any other Premier League team.
- They have lost just one of their last five home league matches (W2, D2). All but two of Fulham’s 14 points this season have been earned at Craven Cottage.
- Fulham are looking to win successive home games in the Premier League for the first time since April 2013.
- They have lost their last six Premier League London derbies – only QPR, who lost seven in a row in 1995-96, have ever lost more consecutively in the top flight.
- Aleksandar Mitrovic has scored in all three of his Premier League appearances against Tottenham.
Tottenham Hotspur
- Spurs have won six of their past eight league matches, but have lost two of the last three.
- Tottenham have the best away record in the Premier League, with 10 wins from 12 matches.
- Victory against Fulham would put Tottenham on 51 points after 23 matches, which is one game fewer than they have ever taken to reach a half-century of points in the Premier League.
- Spurs are the only team in the top four divisions of English football not to have drawn a league match this season.
- They could fail to score in consecutive Premier League fixtures for the first time since May 2015.
- Tottenham have lost three of their four league games played on a Sunday this season, winning the other.
- Harry Kane has missed only one of Spurs’ last 68 Premier League matches: a 1-0 defeat at Manchester United in October 2017.
Source: BBC News
