When Premier League football resumes later this month, Tottenham Hotspur will have their eye on reeling in the clubs directly above them in the league table and securing European football for 2020/21.
The good news for Jose Mourinho is that based on the home and away points-per-game averages of their remaining opponents, Spurs have the third easiest run-in in the division .
Five of their last nine matches are scheduled to be at home too. But there are still some testing fixtures in there, so here’s a look at Tottenham’s remaining matches from easiest to hardest.
9) West Ham United (H)
It may seem odd to put a London derby as the easiest remaining game, and the Hammers did win this fixture last season. But West Ham have played 10 away games against the teams currently in the top 12 of the Premier League, and they’ve lost nine of them. David Moyes’ side have lost all five of their matches on the road since the Scot was reappointed, too.
8) Bournemouth (A)
The Cherries have only secured three points in their own backyard on four occasions this season. Eddie Howe’s side won the corresponding fixture in 2018/19 when both Son Heung-min and Juan Foyth were sent off, but Spurs have won 4-1 and 5-1 at the Vitality Stadium in recent times so should be confident.
7) Everton (H)
It’s more than a decade since the Toffees last triumphed at Tottenham, and over seven years since they last beat them anywhere. Aside from their poor record against Spurs, Everton haven’t won away from home against any side who are currently above them in the table either, so Tottenham should have too much for them.
6) Crystal Palace (A)
Palace’s home record is similar to Everton’s on the road in that all of their victories have come against teams who are below them in the table at present. The Eagles did knock Spurs out of last season’s FA Cup at Selhurst Park, but have lost the four previous league meetings on their patch, failing to score in three of them.
5) Newcastle United (A)
Despite being lower than Crystal Palace in the league table, the Magpies have lost just three times at St. James’ Park in 2019/20, so should provide Tottenham with a sterner test. Spurs have won on their last two trips to the north east, though won’t need reminding of a 5-1 loss on the final day of 2015/16. Chelsea and Manchester United have come unstuck there this season too.
4) Sheffield United (A)
Chris Wilder’s team have enjoyed an excellent first season in the Premier League, vastly surpassing the expectations the majority of pundits and rival fans held for them before the campaign began. However, the Blades are yet to beat any of the teams currently in the top eight, so while this is Tottenham’s toughest remaining away match, there are three harder tests to come at home.
3) Arsenal (H)
It’s always tough to predict derbies, but there’s little in Arsenal’s away record to suggest they can win this match. Only Norwich have won fewer games on the road in 2019/20, with the Gunners’ two victories coming at Newcastle and West Ham. Were it not for the intense rivalry which exists in north London, this fixture would be much lower down the list based on form alone.
2) Leicester City (H)
Brendan Rodgers’ team have been one of the Premier League’s surprise packages this season, and look to have likely secured themselves a top-four finish. The Foxes record in this fixture isn’t great, with their last win coming back in 2016, but they did beat Spurs at the King Power in September.
1) Manchester United (H)
Tottenham’s first game back – if the fixtures are played in the order in which they were originally scheduled – looks to be their toughest remaining challenge. United have beaten Chelsea and Manchester City home and away already this season, and also defeated Tottenham in December. The Reds have shown they can prosper in big matches, even if Mourinho will be fired up to put one over his previous employers.
