Tottenham v Roma – Preview, Predictions and Best Bets

Tottenham host Roma in the Europa League on Thursday. Spurs have secured nine points from four European matches, while the Giallorossi have managed just five. Ange Postecoglou’s side has not drawn any of their last 17 matches.

Spurs Form

Spurs have won 10 of their last 14 matches. After a streak of five consecutive wins, they have suffered four defeats in their last nine games. A 3-2 collapse at Brighton, after leading 2-0, was followed by a convincing 4-1 victory over West Ham in the league and a 1-0 win against AZ Alkmaar in Europe. However, they suffered a surprise 1-0 defeat at Crystal Palace, producing only 0.74 xG in that game.

Their inconsistency was evident in a 2-1 victory over a second-string Manchester City in the Carabao Cup and a dominant 4-1 home win against Aston Villa, with three late goals. A 3-2 loss at Galatasaray and a shocking 2-1 home defeat to struggling Ipswich were offset by a stunning 4-0 away win over Manchester City in their most recent match.

Spurs Team News

Spurs will be without the injured Richarlison and Wilson Odobert in attack, but Rodrigo Bentancur is eligible to play in Europe despite serving a seven-match domestic suspension.

In defense, Micky van de Ven is ruled out, and Cristian Romero remains unavailable. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has undergone ankle surgery, so Fraser Forster will continue in goal. Timo Werner, Djed Spence, and Archie Gray are expected to start in this fixture.

Spurs Motivation

Ange Postecoglou is likely to rotate his squad, but Spurs’ aggressive playing style will remain unchanged.

They aim to secure a win to strengthen their position in the group. However, with a Premier League match against Fulham on Sunday, some focus may shift to that encounter.

Roma Form

Roma have endured a challenging season. After sacking Daniele De Rossi, they experienced a brief improvement under Ivan Jurić (WDW). However, they have since lost six of their last 10 matches, with just two wins. A 1-0 home win over Dinamo Kyiv in the Europa League was followed by a humiliating 5-1 defeat at Fiorentina. A narrow 1-0 win over Torino proved short-lived, as Roma have lost three of their last four matches.

Their struggles include a late 3-2 loss at Verona, a 1-1 draw at Royal Union Saint-Gilloise, and consecutive Serie A defeats to Bologna (3-2) and Napoli (1-0). In the loss to Napoli, Roma managed only 37% possession and conceded 1.98 xG.

Roma Team News

New coach Claudio Ranieri has several injury concerns. Center-back Mario Hermoso has missed the last five matches and may not be fit to return. Winger Alexis Saelemaekers, absent since September, is nearing a comeback but remains a doubt.

Striker Eldor Shomurodov is also unlikely to feature. Paulo Dybala is set for a recall, while Mats Hummels is expected to return to the starting lineup in defense.

Roma Motivation

Ranieri will be eager to inspire a strong response from his squad as they look to turn their season around.

While Roma need a win, their approach is unlikely to be overly attacking. Expect a cautious and disciplined strategy against Tottenham.

Key Stats

Tottenham: Have won 10 of their last 14 matches, scoring 33 goals.

Tottenham: Brennan Johnson has scored eight goals in his last 14 matches.

Roma: Are winless in their last 13 away matches across all competitions.

Roma: Have won just four of their last 17 matches.

Roma: Have lost six of their last 10 matches.

Verdict

Given their current form, it’s difficult to see Roma securing a result here. However, Spurs’ injuries in defense could make the game more competitive.

Best Bet: Over 3.5 goals at 2.10.

Value Bet: Draw at 4.20.

Anytime Goalscorer Market: Brennan Johnson at 2.50.