HomeFeatured ArticlesTottenham Vs Stoke Preview | Team News, Stats and Key Players

Tottenham Vs Stoke Preview | Team News, Stats and Key Players

Tottenham Hotspur welcome a depleted Stoke City side to White Hart Lane after their two sendings off against Newcastle United on Boxing Day. Tim Sherwood will need his side to put in a big performance with the North London side not winning at home in the Premier League since October.

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Team News

Aaron Lennon, Andros Townsend, Jan Vertonghen and Younes Kaboul will miss the game, while Mousa Dembele will face a late fitness test to be available. Stoke will be without Glenn Whelan and Marc Wilson through suspension; Robert Huth and Matty Etherington may miss the match while Asmir Begovic broke his finger in the 5-1 loss to the Magpies, but could be fit for the trip to N17.

Interesting Statistics

Tottenham have lost two of their previous 38 home league meetings against the Potters.

Roberto Soldado is without a goal in the league for Spurs since he scored in their 1-0 home win against Hull City in October – the last time they won at home in the league.

Stoke City have won just one game away from home all season, losing 6 and drawing 2.

Key Players

Christian Eriksen & Oussama Assaidi

The Danish international bagged his first Premier League goal for Spurs against West Brom on Boxing Day, and despite giving away the free-kick leading to the Jonas Olsson equaliser, Eriksen looks to be the player that Tim Sherwood sees as a permanent fixture in his midfield two.

In a total of 9 appearances for Tottenham in the league, (7 starting, 2 sub) – the former Ajax playmaker has created 22 chances for his Spurs side, averaging a chance created every 28 minutes, with an assist to his name.

Although he is seen as a creative midfielder, Eriksen’s final 3rd pass completion rate is 71% – compared to Assaidi’s 88%, with a very average 63% attacking zone passing rate, compared to Assaidi’s 88% final 3rd pass completion rate.

Eriksen and Assaidi stats
Eriksen and Assaidi stats

Since joining Stoke on loan from Liverpool, Assaidi has scored two goals in his last three games. The on-loan winger has created just 8 chances for his team-mates in 9 appearances thus far (6 starting, 3 sub) – but has a much better crossing accuracy than that of Spurs’ midfield playmaker Christian Eriksen; Assaidi has found his man 32% of the time from crosses (12/38) while Eriksen has found his man just 13 times from a total of 73 crosses, a crossing accuracy of just 18%.

If both sides are to make this an open game, both players will need to be at their creative best to unlock each other’s defences.

Prediction: Spurs 3-1 Stoke City

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