Postecoglou: I am the only voice defending Spurs

Ange Postecoglou said helium is the “only voice” defending Tottenham Hotspur, adding that different clubs person overmuch much backing from pundits.

The unit connected Postecoglou continued to equine aft Spurs suffered their 16th decision of the Premier League play to Chelsea connected Thursday, leaving them 14th successful the table.

Indeed, lone the existent bottommost 3 person mislaid much games this run than Spurs, with the nine reaching 16 losses successful a play for the archetypal clip since 2003-04 (19).

At Stamford Bridge, Postecoglou was seen cupping his ears towards the Spurs supporters aft Pape Sarr thought helium had levelled the game, lone for his onslaught from 25 yards to beryllium ruled retired by VAR for a foul successful the build-up.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp criticised the Australian for the gesture. In response, Postecoglou highlighted the quality successful the sum of the 2 clubs.

“I ne'er power connected the TV and perceive immoderate benignant of beardown voice. The lone dependable you perceive is me. When we speech astir the bigger clubs, determination look to beryllium a batch much voices,” helium said.

“There’s ne'er immoderate benignant of defending of the nine oregon the nine defending itself, which makes it hard due to the fact that each nine goes done pugnacious moments and it’s however you react.

“That’s a unsocial challenge, but I accepted that challenge, truthful I’ve got to effort to find a mode to flooded it.”

Southampton, meanwhile, could spot their enactment successful the Premier League travel to an extremity this Sunday if results spell against them this weekend.

Saints are 20th successful the array and, with 8 matches remaining, they person 24 points to play for. They are presently 19 points down 17th-placed Wolves.

Vitor Pereira’s squad question to look Ipswich Town astatine Portman Road connected Saturday and should they bushed the Tractor Boys and Southampton suffer to Spurs, they volition beryllium relegated.

“I don’t deliberation astir that anymore. Our extremity has to beryllium not beryllium the worst team,” Juric said erstwhile asked astir the imaginable of being relegated to the Championship.

“At this infinitesimal I don’t know. I person to talk with the nine and see,” Juric added erstwhile asked astir his aboriginal astatine St. Mary’s, should Southampton driblet to the 2nd tier.

“Every manager has his imaginativeness and I deliberation the nine has to bash everything they tin to hold with the coach, and past they spell the aforesaid way.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Spurs – Son Heung-min

Son has had a manus successful 18 goals successful 16 Premier League appearances against Southampton for Spurs (11 goals, 7 assists).

The lone existent Premier League subordinate with much goals and assists against an hostile is Mohamed Salah versus Manchester United (13 goals, six assists).

Southampton – Paul Onuachu

Onuachu enactment connected an awesome show against Crystal Palace, ending the contention with team-high totals for shots connected people (two) and touches successful the absorption container (seven).

He has besides present netted 4 goals successful his past 9 Premier League games for Southampton, aft failing to people crossed his archetypal 22 appearances successful the competition.

MATCH PREDICTION: SPURS WIN

None of Spurs’ past 15 Premier League location games against Southampton person finished level (W12 L3). They person scored successful each 15 of those games, portion Saints person besides recovered the nett successful each of the past eight.

Spurs won the reverse fixture against Southampton 5-0 successful December, with each 5 goals coming successful the archetypal half. It was the 5th clip they had scored 5 oregon much goals successful a Premier League lucifer against Saints, with nary broadside doing truthful against a circumstantial hostile much often.

But Spurs person won 1 of their past 10 location Premier League matches (D3 L6), picking up conscionable six points. Across their 10 games astatine the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium beforehand, they won 7 games and 21 points.

Postecoglou’s broadside person besides shipped 26 location Premier League goals this season, lone ever conceding much successful 5 campaigns connected location soil. Their existent mean of 1.73 goals conceded per crippled is their 2nd worst successful a top-flight season. However, they did vessel 34 successful 19 games successful 2007-08 (1.79).

Southampton, meanwhile, person won conscionable 1 of their past 7 Premier League games against Spurs (D2 L4), beating them 3-2 astatine the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium successful February 2022.

But crossed their past 18 distant Premier League matches, Southampton person collected conscionable 5 points (W1 D2 L15), and their 1 triumph was astatine chap promoted nine Ipswich Town successful February.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Spurs – 65.7%

Draw – 18.2%

Southampton – 16.1%