Tottenham delivered a strong performance in their 5-0 victory against Southampton before Christmas. However, the team's supporters are not anticipating a similar result as they return home on Sunday.
Southampton, sitting at the bottom of the league, seem destined for relegation. On the other hand, Tottenham are facing difficulties and are likely prioritizing their upcoming Europa League match against Eintracht Frankfurt next Thursday.
Team news
Spurs will continue to be without Kevin Danso and Dejan Kulusevski. Mickey van de Ven may be uncertain for the upcoming match after experiencing cramps during his first league start since December.
In order to freshen up the team, coach Ange Postecoglou might consider bringing in players such as Yves Bissouma, Ben Davies, and Brennan Johnson.
Saints' manager Ivan Juric believes that Paul Onuachu, who scored in the 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace, may struggle with back-to-back starts in the same week. Cameron Archer could be on standby.
Will Smallbone is hopeful to recover from a groin issue and could replace the suspended Flynn Downes.
The stats
Only Liverpool and Manchester City have scored more goals in the league than Tottenham (55).
Heung-Min Son has been involved in 18 goals in 16 Premier League matches against Southampton, with 11 goals and seven assists.
Southampton have suffered defeats in 24 of their 30 Premier League games this season.
Both teams have scored in 16 of the last 18 encounters between these sides, with 14 of the last 18 matches producing over 2.5 goals.
Prediction
Southampton are now playing solely for pride, as indicated by their determined performance in the recent 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace.
Although they faced a heavy defeat against Spurs earlier in the season, there is a possibility that they can avoid a similar outcome, given their ability to prevent big losses in most matches.
With protests planned at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this weekend, the atmosphere may be tense, especially with concerns regarding the management of the club reaching the technical area.
In light of their recent loss to Chelsea and the upcoming Europa League fixture, coach Postecoglou is likely to make changes to the team.
If Southampton can resist early pressure, there is a chance they could cause trouble for the hosts, who are considered strong favorites but appear to lack confidence.