West Bromwich Albion vs Tottenham
There’s more on the line here in this upcoming match than what it looks like on the surface when the Spurs visit the Baggies over at the Hawthorns this Sunday evening.
Two sides who are occupying contrasting spots in the Premier League table will lock horns in what looks like a fun matchup.
Tottenham are currently third in the standings with 14 points and they have an opportunity to be at the summit if they win in this upcoming fixture.
Jose Mourinho’s side is fresh from a victory against Ludogorets in the Europa League group stage and their recent form is as lethal as ever.
But the same can’t be said for West Brom as they have yet to earn their first victory of the 2020/21 campaign. With only three points after seven matchdays, the Baggies have one foot at the drop zone and the other barely in the safe zone.
This is their first season back in the Premier League in over three seasons, and if this downward trend keeps up, they might not stay here by season’s end.
Read on below for the match preview courtesy of SBOTOP.
Talking points
Slaven Bilic’s job is in danger
Things aren’t so rosy over at the Hawthorns as the newly-promoted side has yet to grab their maiden win this season.
Slaven Bilic has expressed his displeasure not only because of the club’s lack of quality and depth, but also because of the resources and tools that has been given to him by the board – or lack thereof.
West Brom have won in only three games since February and they were defeated recently by a fellow struggler in Fulham – who just entered into the win column in a 2-0 scoreline.
The Baggies were simply outworked from the whistle and that led to early first half goals from Bobby Reid and Ola Aina.
After the game, Bilic offered a blunt assessment to his squad, saying that they weren’t tough enough and that has to change in order to stay afloat.
“At Fulham we looked like a team who are good on the ball but who don’t want to hurt the opponents. You saw them quicker, sharper and stronger in the air,” said Bilic.
“We have to be more mature, more streetwise, a little bit dirty. I agree, we are too nice,” he added.
Another bad result here could mean the end of Bilic’s tenure with the Baggies, and several reports indicate that current Charlton boss Lee Bowyer is in line to replace him.
Harry Kane chasing history
Harry Kane’s club legend status is growing each day, and recently he has just made a personal milestone.
The Spurs striker has already bagged 200 club goals — with the most recent one coming from their victory over Ludogorets — and he insists that he is just getting started.
“It’s a great milestone to reach and hopefully there are a few more to come,” said Harry Kane.
The English international was just 18 when he scored his first Tottenham goal in a Europa League win versus the Shamrock Rovers in 2011.
And then from there he has never looked back.
Kane is now third in Tottenham’s all-time scoring list, and he is currently 66 goals behind Jimmy Greaves. He leads the Premier League for most goals in all competitions so far this term, making 12 in his 13 appearances.
He, along with Son Heung-Min are definitely the marked men for West Brom’s defence as they continue to lead the Spurs with their share of Premier League 2020 highlights.
History
It has been a while seen these last two teams met, and a win here for West Brom will definitely serve as a huge confidence booster.
In their last encounter together in 2018, the Baggies secured a 1-0 win via a late Jake Livermore goal and prior to that, they had a 1-1 draw.
If Slaven Bilic’s men will win this weekend, it will be the first time since November 1984 that they have notched back-to-back Premier League victories over the Spurs.
West Brom and Tottenham have drawn 11 of their previous 25 games. The Spurs own the overall edge with 10 wins while the Baggies have only won four times.
Betting Tip
West Bromwich Albion vs Tottenham | Tottenham Hotspur Asian Handicap -1.25 @ 2.25 | |
November 8, 20:00 (GMT+8) |
The updated Premier League 2020 odds have Tottenham as the overwhelming favourites to win.
The Spurs are priced at 1.50, while West Brom are at 6.20 and chances for a draw are at 4.10 in the 1×2 market.
With West Brom’s backline looking very porous, it is also highly likely that Tottenham are going to provide some goals. Hence, going for Over 2.50 @ 1.87 or Total Goal 2-3 @ 1.43 are also good bets.
It has been so far so good for the Spurs as they have been winning despite balancing their commitments domestically and in Europe.
Although the jet lag might slow them down a little bit, Jose Mourinho and co. are expected to put away the poor Baggies for their third consecutive win.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR () BETS ARE WORTH: | |||
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= €20 (Highly confident) | = €10 (CONFIDENT) | = €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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The post Premier League: Is This Slaven Bilic’s Last Act? appeared first on SBOTOP.