Saturday’s clash at The Hawthorns presents the perfect opportunity for Tottenham to gatecrash the top four, but they won’t find things quite as easy as last season.
Spurs were 3-0 victors over West Brom back in January, but the hosts have played two London sides in the past two weeks and have taken four points from six.
Tony Pulis’ side will be looking for consistency, having failed to better their three-match unbeaten run in the opening three games of the season.
West Brom
The Baggies’ last two performances have produced hugely credible results. A deserved 2-1 victory at home to Arsenal was followed up by a much-improved second half performance in the 1-1 draw at West Ham.
With West Brom 13th in the table, it seems unlikely for Pulis’ team to trouble the top half of the table this season, but they can certainly cause frustration for the teams who do visit the Midlands.
They’ve scored more than one goal in three of their last four home matches but haven’t kept a clean sheet in four attempts.
Saido Berahino was heavily linked to a summer move to Tottenham, including a failed £25 million bid for his services.
However, he has failed to replicate the form that saw him entertain Spurs’ services and earn a call-up to the England squad.
Three goals so far in the Premier League contrasts to seven at this stage last season, with his goals often tending to come in clusters. However, he has found himself out of favour, with Rickie Lambert and Salomon Rondon ahead of him in the pecking order.
Claudio Yacob is suspended for the match, so Craig Gardner may earn a recall to the team.
Otherwise, Jonny Evans who played very well at left back is likely to keep his place in the starting XI with Chris Brunt remaining unavailable.
Tottenham
Last weekend’s frustrating 0-0 draw with Chelsea was perhaps another opportunity missed by Tottenham to assert their claims as outside title challengers.
But, it’s now 13 games unbeaten and a first clean sheet in four league games since another 0-0 draw at home, to Liverpool.
Last Sunday was also the first time in seven games that Spurs were prevented from scoring.
Dele Alli is back in contention after serving a one-match ban and will likely fill in for Ryan Mason as the only change to the team, with Mason carried off with an ankle injury.
Alli’s ability on the ball was sorely missed on Sunday, with Mason strangely deployed on the right side of midfield to accommodate Heung-Min Son playing off of Harry Kane.
Nacer Chadli and Nabil Bentaleb are both close to first team action but will miss out on Saturday, whilst Erik Lamela may also Son who struggled against Chelsea.
Kane couldn’t make it seven consecutive scoring games for Tottenham, but could find better luck against an aged West Brom defence, to score goal number 13 of the season.
Prediction:
Spurs’ emphatic victory last season will hopefully, but unlikely be repeated this time around. With a tough Baggies side to break down, Spurs’ young side will have to bide their time and hope young legs get the better of experienced heads.
West Bromwich Albion 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur
