The Whites travel to North London on Saturday hoping to make it three consecutive Premier League wins, with the last time they won more games consecutively in the league being in May 2021 (4).
After emerging from an eight-game winless run with an unprecedented victory at Anfield two games ago, the significance of any sort of result at Tottenham for the Yorkshire outfit cannot be overstated.
Leeds’ opponents, in contrast, are seeking to avoid a third successive defeat in all competitions after a 1-2 loss against Liverpool in the Premier League last weekend and a chastening 2-0 defeat at the hands of Nottingham Forest in the EFL Cup on Wednesday.
Despite this relatively poor form Spurs have always proved tough competition for Leeds, having won three of their last four top-flight encounters with them since the Whites’ return to the Premier League in 2020.
Form at a glance (all competitions)
Tottenham Hotspur: LDWWLL
Leeds United: LLLWWL
Team news
Tottenham are without defender Cristian Romero (calf), winger Son Heung-min (eye) and versatile wide player Ryan Sessegnon after he was forced to play through injury against Nottingham Forest after Spurs boss Antonio Conte had used all five of his substitutes.
Conte’s side will be boosted by the return of two players central to the Spurs attack in Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison, the former making a significant impact from the bench against Liverpool last weekend. Both made substitute appearances in Tottenham’s midweek EFL fixture and had no issues, so are presumed fit to start.
As for Leeds, Stuart Dallas, Adam Forshaw, Archie Gray, Luis Sinisterra and Patrick Bamford all remain out. Mateusz Klich will also be absent from the match day squad after picking up a knock to the knee in training this week.
Jack Harrison is also a doubt due to a muscular strain, with Joe Gelhardt’s fitness also being assessed after his premature substitution against Wolves.
Opinion – is it winnable?
The return of attackers Richarlison and Kulusevski to accompany Harry Kane will not be welcome news to Leeds fans, as they inject pace and technicality into a forward line which has struggled since Son’s absence. Leeds’ full-backs must remain alert to the threat Spurs will pose on the counterattack with these two on the field, and the midfield must be combative when up against players such as Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Rodrigo Bentancur, and – when he opts to pick the ball up from deep – Kane.
As Tottenham’s recent form demonstrates, they are beatable, but their potent attack combined with an organised defensive line will not make matters easy for the Whites.
