Confidence is at a low ebb at Tottenham following successive defeats in the Premier League, though some optimism could be restored with a victory over Sporting in the Champions League this evening. Spurs are top of Group D ahead of matchday five and a win for Antonio Conte’s side would secure passage to the competition’s knockout phase.
We’ve got a stats pack for this evening’s game below, which is spilling over with useful nuggets on shots, shots on target, xG, cards, corners and more from Tottenham and Sporting’s domestic campaigns. Our research should help you to pick smarter bet builder selections for the game later today.
Predicted Lineups
Richarlison, Dejan Kulusevski and Japhet Tanganga are all still in the treatment room for Tottenham and Antonio Conte might be forced to field just two players in attack for the third game in a row.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Cristian Romero are listed as doubtful, though Spurs will hope to have at least one of them in their XI this evening.
Sebastian Coates, Daniel Braganca and Luis Neto are injured and absent for Sporting, while Head Coach Ruben Amorim will also be without suspended duo Ricardo Esgaio and Pote.
Antonio Adan is available again following a ban and should resume his role between the sticks. Former Tottenham youngster Marcus Edwards will hope to shine up front.
Team Stats
We’ve talked a lot about Tottenham’s underlying numbers this season in our stats packs and how results might eventually catch up with their modest figures and recent defeats indicate that several chickens are coming home to roost.
Tottenham’s xG against (1.78) and shots against (15.58) per 90 both dwarf their figures at the other end in the Premier League. In the Champions League, Spurs are faring a little better with an average of 13 attempts per game at the right end and 11.0 at the wrong one.
Spurs have been collecting 2.75 cards per contest compared to 2.0 per 90 minutes domestically, however. Three Tottenham players were booked against Sporting in Portugal last month.
Sporting haven’t quite been at it in the Primeira Liga and Champions League distractions have definitely been a factor. Still, their 15.90, 2.04 xG and 6.60 corners won per 90 figures make for impressive reading.
Sporting are averaging a meagre 7.5 shots per game in the Champions League however, and they’ve already had three players sent off in the competition. They’ve also allowed opponents to rack up 14.8 attempts against them per contest.
Player Shots and Shots on Target
When analysing potential candidates in the shot markets for Tottenham, you really cannot look beyond Harry Kane (3.71 shots per 90) and Heung-min Son (3.16) in the Premier League. In the UCL, Spurs’ formidable duo have been hitting 3.8 and 2.7 shots per 90 minutes respectively.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Rodrigo Bentancur have offered an occasional threat from midfield in England, though neither player has made much of a splash in the Champions League from an attacking perspective.
Four players, Marcus Edwards, Nuno Santos, Trincao and Pedro Porro have lodged more than 2.0 attempts per 90 minutes in the Primeira Liga for Sporting this term, though Santos and Porro in particular have found it tougher to make ripples on the continent.
Trincao however, has been clocking 2.5 attempts per 90 in the Champions League, while Edwards has managed 2.0. That pair mustered five shots between them when Sporting beat Tottenham last month.
Player Goals and assists
Harry Kane is miles clear of the chasing pack in the race to be Tottenham’s top scorer in the Premier League, though the 29-year-old has yet to score from open play in the Champions League this term.
Heung-min Son notched twice on matchday four against Eintracht Frankfurt, while injured Brazilian Richarlison has also hit two goals in the UCL. Danish midfielder Pierre-Emile Højbjerg has claimed two assists in the competition so far and he set Son up for one of his efforts against Frankfurt on October 12.
You can’t spell potent with Pote and Sporting’s winger has been on fire in Portugal this term where he has bagged nine goal contributions (6G, 3A) in ten appearances.
Pote is suspended this evening however, which thrusts more goal-getting responsibility onto the shoulders of Marcus Edwards and Trincao. Edwards has one goal and two assists in four Champions League starts this term, while Trincao has notched twice.
Neither player scored or assisted against Spurs last month, however. Super subs Paulinho and Arthur Gomes did the damage that evening.
Tottenham Cards
Rodrigo Bentancur (1.85 fouls per 90) has been a consistent card market performer for Tottenham this season and the Uruguayan has collected four bookings in the Premier League and two in the Champions League.
Ivan Perisic (two cards) could also be worth tracking this evening when the veteran Croatian faces pace and trickery on the flank. England international Eric Dier doesn’t feature on our list, though the 28-year-old has been cautioned twice in four Champions League starts this term and he faces his old club later on.
Manuel Ugarte has been drawing plenty of fouls in Portugal this season, though the Uruguayan midfielder is also Sporting’s most-fouled player in the Champions League (2.8) and his skirmish with compatriot Bentancur should be of interest today.
False nine Paulinho (1.7 per game) ranks second for Sporting in the most-fouled department in the UCL and the 29-year-old – who scored against Spurs last month – could be targeted by Eric Dier in London. Winger Trincao has been fouled 1.59 times per 90 domestically in 2022/23 and the 22-year-old has the running power to get Ivan Perisic turned and uncomfortable.
Match-Ups to watch
Rodrigo Bentancur vs Manuel Ugarte
Ivan Perisic vs Trincao
Christian Romero vs Paulinho
Sporting CP Cards
Tough-tackling Uruguayan Manuel Ugarte likes to knock heads in midfield in the Primeira Liga, though his partner Hidemasa Morita could be the better card candidate this evening. Morita picked up one of his two UCL bookings this season against Tottenham in Portugal last month.
Wing-back Pedro Porro is also worth considering in the same market. The 23-year-old has collected three cards domestically and one in Europe this term, while Nuno Santos on the opposite flank has also collected four cards split between the Primeira (3) and Champions League (1).
Danish playmaker Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has been fouled 1.48 times per 90 minutes in the Premier League and 1.3 times per appearance in Europe this season and Hidemasa Morita will be keen to disrupt the Spurs midfielder’s flow this evening.
Referee Danny Makkelie could be drawn to the wings in North London to deal with tackles on Emerson Royal (fouled 1.65 times per/90) and Heung-min Son (1.54) from Nuno Santos and Pedro Porro. Emerson and Son are Tottenham’s joint-most fouled players in the UCL this season (2.00 per game).
Match-Ups to watch
Hidemasa Morita vs Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
Pedro Porro vs Heung-min Son
Nuno Santos vs Emerson Royal
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This a huge game for qualification connotations. A loss here for Spurs would put an incredible amount of pressure on them going into their final matchup against Marseille. Given what’s at stake, I think there could be plenty of action in this one.
Best of luck if you’re having, and please remember to Gamble Responsibly. Don’t force a bet on this if you’re not interested in the game.
