Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Tottenham vs Brentford in the Premier League on Thursday; kick-off 7.30pm.
Team news
Cristian Romero faces an extended lay-off for Tottenham, with boss Antonio Conte admitting his hamstring injury is a significant one.
“He needs a long time to recover,” Conte said ahead of Thursday’s game. “It is a pity because he is an important player for us; the injury is very serious.
“I don’t know [when he will return] – January, February. But for 2021, he has finished.”
Romero’s international team-mate Giovani Lo Celso is out with an unspecified problem, but there are no other issues for Spurs, whose fixture at Burnley last weekend was scuppered by the weather.
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Brentford will pick from the same squad in north London after Sergi Canos, Rico Henry and Christian Norgaard shook off knocks picked up against Everton on Sunday.
Kristoffer Ajer has another three to four weeks in the treatment room as he recovers from a hamstring injury while Mathias Jorgensen also remains sidelined.
Tariqe Fosu is out with a hamstring injury and will be assessed on a weekly basis.
How to follow
Follow Tottenham vs Brentford in our dedicated live match blog. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel after full-time.
Last time out…
Opta stats
Tottenham are unbeaten in their last 11 meetings with Brentford in all competitions (W8 D3), since a 2-0 loss in March 1948. Their most recent meeting was in the EFL Cup last season, a 2-0 semi-final victory for Spurs.This is the first top-flight meeting between Tottenham and Brentford, with the Bees winning just one of their six second tier meetings between 1947 and 1949 (D2 L3).Before football was suspended due to lockdown in March 2020, Tottenham had never lost a Premier League match on a Thursday (W7 D5). Since then, Spurs have lost three of their five Thursday matches in the competition (W1 D1).Tottenham have lost each of their last five Premier League London derby matches, last losing more consecutively between March 2003 and January 2004 (6).Brentford ended a run of five Premier League matches without a win (D1 L4) with a 1-0 home win over Everton last time out. The Bees are looking for consecutive top-flight wins for the first time since September 1946.
Premier League Review: Was Carrick right to drop Ronaldo? Pressure on Rafa ahead of derby, Howe’s problems and title tips
On the latest Essential Football Podcast Alice Piper is joined by Sky Sports football writers Gerard Brand and Ben Grounds to look back on another big weekend at both ends of the Premier League table after Chelsea’s lead slipped following a 1-1 draw with Man Utd at Stamford Bridge.
PART 1 | Was Michael Carrick right to opt against starting Cristiano Ronaldo – and should United have signed him at all? United’s interim-to-the-interim manager’s tactics are assessed ahead of Ralph Rangnick’s arrival, questions raised over Chelsea’s attacking prowess, while will Arsenal fancy facing this United side next given their own form?
PART 2 | Where does another bad result at Brentford leave Everton boss Rafa Benitez ahead of the Merseyside derby in midweek? Do Liverpool have anything to fear? And the curious case of Marcelo Bielsa and Kalvin Phillips…
PART 3 | Newcastle show Eddie Howe the scale of the task ahead of him with a six-pointer against Norwich next up, Aston Villa grind their way to victory again – and with two points separating the top three, who’s going to win the Premier League?