Prediction: Fulham vs Tottenham Hotspur

Verdict: Draw

Best odds: 13/5

Bookmaker: ZetBet

Fresh off a potentially season-defining Europa League victory, Tottenham Hotspur head into their final Premier League fixture before the international break on Sunday, facing a compelling London derby against Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Ange Postecoglou’s side secured a 3-1 triumph over AZ Alkmaar in Thursday’s European clash, while the Cottagers have spent the past week dwelling on a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion.

Fulham

When these two sides met last year in a game preceding an international break at the same venue, Fulham smashed Spurs by 3-0. Marco Silva’s side also put in a solid display during their visit to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in December, earning a 1-1 draw.

Remarkably, Fulham have only suffered four defeats in their last 18 matches across all competitions. One of those losses came at the Amex last weekend, where despite taking the lead through Raul Jimenez, they were undone by a comeback led by Jan Paul van Hecke and Joao Pedro.

Pedro’s penalty in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time dealt a significant blow to Fulham’s European ambitions, yet the 10th-placed hosts remain firmly in the race, sitting just four points behind the top seven.

Maintaining consistency at home has proven more challenging for Silva’s men lately, as Fulham have won just once in their last seven Premier League games at Craven Cottage, drawing four and losing two.

Additionally, their defensive record on home soil has been concerning, managing just one clean sheet in their last 18 top-flight matches at home. That solitary shutout came in a goalless draw against bottom-placed Southampton in December, giving Spurs plenty of reason to believe they can overturn their poor pre-international break form.

Team News

Reiss Nelson (thigh), Kenny Tete (knee), and Harry Wilson (foot) are all ruled out for Spurs’ visit, while Sasa Lukic remains suspended as he serves the second match of his two-game ban after accumulating 10 yellow cards.

Last week, Silva deployed an unconventional three-man defensive setup due to the absences of both Lukic and Adama Traore, the latter sidelined with an ankle injury. However, Traore has since returned to training and is in contention to feature.

Given Tottenham’s tendency to leave defensive gaps and their potential fatigue, Silva may opt to reinstate Traore to the starting lineup rather than take a more cautious approach.

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Tottenham Hotspur

The man who famously declared that he “always” wins trophies in his second season at a club could still prove that statement true by May, as Postecoglou watched his Spurs side complete a routine turnaround against AZ in their Europa League last-16 tie.

Wilson Odobert struck twice – one of which came from a sublime team passing sequence – while James Maddison also found the net, sealing Tottenham’s quarterfinal clash with 2021/22 champions Eintracht Frankfurt. Meanwhile, Peer Koopmeiners’ goal, stemming from a Spurs defensive lapse, had little impact on the overall outcome.

Though Postecoglou would never openly admit to prioritizing one competition over another, the Australian will likely be focusing more on Europa League preparations, given that Spurs have little at stake in the Premier League for the remainder of the season.

Currently sitting 13th in the table, 12 points adrift of the top seven and 17 points clear of the relegation zone, Tottenham’s underwhelming domestic campaign appears to be a lost cause. However, they at least displayed resilience in a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth last week.

Spurs have lost just one of their last five Premier League outings and have secured consecutive away wins against Brentford and Ipswich Town. However, those with a superstitious streak may be wary – Tottenham have suffered defeat in each of their last five league matches before an international break.

Team News

Spurs are expected to field the same squad from their victory over AZ on Sunday, with Lucas Bergvall experiencing late cramp but not facing any issues that should affect his availability.

However, Postecoglou can bring Rodrigo Bentancur back into the midfield after he served a Europa League suspension on Thursday. The Spurs manager remains without Kevin Danso (hamstring), Radu Dragusin (ACL), Richarlison (calf), and Dejan Kulusevski (foot) due to injury.

Danso’s absence led Postecoglou to restore the preferred centre-back pairing of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven against AZ. However, with the latter still being managed carefully, teenage prospect Archie Gray may return to the starting lineup for the derby.

Conclusion

Silva’s 200th match as a Premier League manager promises to be an entertaining spectacle for neutral fans, with Fulham well-positioned to take an attacking approach against a potentially fatigued Tottenham side.

However, Spurs have demonstrated greater resilience in recent games and should be capable of responding in kind, likely battling to a second consecutive Premier League draw.

Verdict: Draw

Best odds: 13/5

Bookmaker: ZetBet