Tottenham have yet to taste defeat in the Premier League this season, though Wednesday’s Champions League opponents, Marseille, are still unbeaten in France. Both teams are playing with a real swagger at present, but something has to give in this intriguing Group D tussle in London.
If you’re looking to place a bet builder tonight then you’ve come to the right place. This stats pack will give you an insight into how both sides have started their domestic seasons, with goals, shots, cards, and corners all covered below.
Predicted Lineups
Tottenham have had a largely settled team in the early exchanges of the new campaign and Antonio Conte will line up Spurs up in a familiar 3-4-3 formation against Marseille.
Richarlison started against Fulham at the weekend, though the Brazilian’s inclusion in Wednesday’s XI isn’t certain and Swedish winger Dejan Kulusevski could replace him.
Marseille have come flying out of the blocks in France where they have won five of their six assignments in Igor Tudor’s maiden campaign at the helm. OM have enjoyed plenty of early success while deployed in the Croatian’s unorthodox 3-4-2-1 structure.
There is a heavy smattering of former Premier League players in OM’s ranks, including Sead Kolasinac, Nuno Tavares, Chancel Mbemba, Eric Bailly, Matteo Guendouzi, Dimitri Payet and Alexis Sanchez, though the Chilean cannot play this week as he is serving a ban.
Team Stats
Tottenham have been clinical without being entirely convincing at times this season and it’s interesting to note that their shots (15.50) and shots against (14.50) figures per 90 are almost identical.
Conte’s defence-first focus has ensured that most of the efforts racked up against Spurs have been from non-threatening areas however, something backed up by their low shots on target against (2.67 p/90) and xG against (1.17 p/90) stats so far.
Marseille hold Ligue 1’s best defensive record since the summer, shipping just three goals in six contests to date. Their goals against numbers (0.50 p/90) make for impressive reading, while their xG for and against tallies measure up well to Tottenham’s.
Player Shots and Shots on Target
Ryan Sessegnon is enjoying something of a breakout season for Tottenham and his impact is measurable in the numbers. Wingbacks tend to thrive in Antonio Conte’s system and Sessegnon certainly seems to be hitting new heights.
Harry Kane and Heung-min Son add a couple of familiar faces to the list. The dynamic duo’s outputs have been relatively similar in the shots and shots on target p/90 departments, though Kane has outgunned Son by five goals to zero.
Luis Suarez (no, not him), has been too hot for Ligue 1 defences to handle this term and the talented Colombian has been letting loose with 5.86 shots p/90, 3.20 of which have been on target.
Marauding Brazilian midfielder Gerson has lodged 1.99 shots per 90 from deeper positions, while former Arsenal starlet Nuno Tavares makes an interesting appearance from left wing back with over two attempts registered p/90.
Player Goals and Assists
Ominously for defenders, Harry Kane has been playing himself into real form of late and the England international grabbed his fifth Premier League goal of the campaign against Fulham on Saturday.
Heung-min Son has been hitting just about everything but the back of the net, though a change in fortunes feels imminent for the usually reliable South Korean. Danish midfielder Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (2) has already matched his tally for the entire 2021/22 season.
Former Arsenal icon Alexis Sanchez is Marseille’s joint-top scorer with three goals and the suspended winger will be missed on Wednesday. Another ex-Gunner, Nuno Tavares, has equalled Sanchez’s early tally.
Jonathan Clauss has offered a consistent supply line from the right flank. The 29-year-old, who was signed from Lens in the summer, has bagged two assists in six appearances.
Tottenham Cards
Antonio Conte likes his central midfielders to graft and it’s no surprise to see three of his staff (Bissouma, Bentancur and Hojbjerg) among the team’s most prolific foulers.
Harry Kane, often undeserving of his clean-cut image on the pitch, has collected two bookings for indiscretions, while his 1.19 fouls p/90 also makes him a prime offender in that metric.
Skilful Brazilian Gerson loves to drift into pockets of space between defensive lines and though he isn’t the most prolific dribbler (1.33 p/90), he tends to draw plenty of fouls through his dangerous positioning alone (2.67 p/90).
Former outspoken Arsenal youngster, Matteo Guendouzi, is certain to get a warm welcome from the Tottenham faithful on Wednesday and the home crowd will appreciate a hard tackle or two on the midfielder. Guendouzi has already been fouled 1.22 times per 90 minutes this season.
Match-Ups to watch
Rodrigo Bentancur vs Gerson
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg vs Matteo Guendouzi
Harry Kane vs Nuno Tavares
Marseille Cards
Valentin Rongier has a very particular remit for Marseille and in a team laced with technically-gifted footballers, the 27-year-old is tasked with doing the heavy lifting and hard-hitting. Rongier has been carded three times this season and he will enjoy fronting up against his Tottenham counterparts.
As former Arsenal employees, Nuno Tavares (2.26 p/90) and Matteo Guendouzi (2.24 p/90) will be determined to leave their mark on Tottenham in North London on Wednesday, so watch out for some meaty challenges from both.
Richarlison’s abrasive style always seems to rub opponents the wrong way and the ill-tempered Brazilian attacker has been fouled more per 90 minutes (1.58) than any of his new Spurs teammates this term.
Harry Kane is never shy about contesting duels against more physically imposing centre-halves and he wins his fair share of fouls as a result (fouled 1.53 p/90). His long-time comrade in the frontline, Heung-min Son, has also been slowed down by rule-bending defenders on the regular (1.48).
Match-Ups to watch
Nuno Tavares vs Richarlison
Valentin Rongier vs Harry Kane
Valentin Rongier vs Heung-min Son
______
Stats pack finished. That’s goals, shots, corners and cards all covered to boost your chances of a bet builder win.
If you’re placing a bet, it’s a busy week of football with the return of the Champions League, so keep stakes low and set yourself a budget.
