‘A few problems’ – Paul Merson shares his Spurs v Leeds score prediction

Following Tottenham’s recent run of poor results, Paul Merson believes that Antonio Conte will pull the handbrakes off and ask his players to play with freedom against Leeds United.

Tottenham come into the clash against Leeds on the back of two straight losses against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, respectively.

Conte’s men have also lost both of their last two home matches in the Premier League and will be desperate to return to winning ways to finish the first part of the campaign on a high.

Spurs also have their own concerns ahead of the game, particularly in their forward line, with Conte also admitting after the loss at City Ground on Wednesday that Harry Kane, who has started every game this season, is suffering from fatigue (talkSPORT).

Merson believes that the Tottenham head coach might urge his players to play on the front foot like they did in the second half against Liverpool last week, and backed the Lilywhites to edge out Jesse Marsch’s men.

The former Arsenal midfielder told Sportskeeda about tomorrow’s clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium: “Wow, I’m not sure about this game. Leeds attack and attack, and when the other team breaks, you wonder where it came from. There will be goals in this game because Leeds cannot defend.

“Leeds play with a lot of energy, and fair play to them – they stick to their guns. They play exactly the same way whether they’re winning or losing, and that seems to be their Achilles’ heel. They always play gung-ho football, and they’ll cause Tottenham a few problems because of their energy.

“Tottenham need to have a go now. If they can play like they did in the second half against Liverpool, they can really be a proper team. They’ve turned it on in 45-minute spells against Marseille and Bournemouth, and they need to learn to play 90-minute football. I think it’s come to a stage where Antonio Conte will ask his players to just go out and express themselves.

“Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 Leeds United.”

Emerson Royal
(Photo by David Horton – CameraSport via Getty Images)

Spurs Web Opinion

In truth, the mid-season break for the World Cup cannot come soon enough for Spurs as some players look mentally and physically drained. We desperately need to buck the trend of recent weeks and start strongly against Leeds rather than reacting after going behind.

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