Tottenham Hotspur’s crucial Premier League clash with Leeds United has divided pundit opinion, with Chris Sutton and Paul Merson predicting contrasting outcomes ahead of Monday night’s showdown in north London.
Leeds travel to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for their third-to-last league game of the campaign, knowing survival could already be secured before kick-off. Daniel Farke’s side sit seven points above the relegation zone and could officially guarantee safety if West Ham fail to beat Arsenal on Sunday.
The Whites have timed their resurgence perfectly, collecting 12 points during a six-match unbeaten streak to move clear of danger. Tottenham, meanwhile, remain locked in a tense relegation scrap despite consecutive league victories lifting them one point above the bottom three.
Former Blackburn striker Chris Sutton believes Spurs’ desperation to survive will prove decisive, even if Leeds arrive in London with no pressure on their shoulders.
Writing in his BBC Sport predictions column, Sutton praised Roberto De Zerbi’s side following their impressive win over Aston Villa and backed Tottenham to continue their momentum.
He said Spurs finally appear to have found confidence again after winning back-to-back league games for the first time since August, adding that Leeds potentially being safe before kick-off would suit the hosts.
Sutton predicted a 2-1 victory for Tottenham, expecting De Zerbi’s men to make it three straight league wins.
However, former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson sees the contest differently and believes Leeds are capable of dealing a major blow to Tottenham’s survival hopes.
Merson highlighted Leeds’ strong recent form, noting they have lost only once in their last nine matches outside of their FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea. He warned that Leeds have enough attacking quality to punish Spurs if they hit top gear.
Although Merson admitted Tottenham desperately need the points to avoid taking the relegation fight to the final day, he still backed Leeds to edge the contest.
The pundit predicted a 2-1 win for Leeds United, insisting he could not confidently support Tottenham despite the importance of the fixture for De Zerbi’s side.
Monday’s encounter now looks set to play a huge role at both ends of the table, with Tottenham battling to preserve their Premier League status while Leeds aim to finish the season strongly after climbing away from danger.
