After Liverpool hit the self destruct button at Leeds just 12 days ago, it was Arne Slot whose job as a Premier League manager felt most in jeopardy.
Just over a week later, Thomas Frank swapped places with him on the hot seat. Following Spurs' 3-0 humbling away at Nottingham Forest, patience with the Dane is wearing thin. As of Tuesday, the odds of Frank being the next Premier League manager sacked were 2/1.
Though the Reds are in slightly better form, neither Liverpool nor Tottenham find themselves on solid ground. It makes the result of Saturday's Premier League fixture at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium hard to call. To make the best possible prediction, let's dive into some key info from Spurs' season so far.
Tottenham's record and form
Spurs have played 24 games this season and have an overall record of 10-6-8 (W-D-L). They sit 11th in both the Premier League and Champions League tables, with a 6-4-6 record in the PL and 3-2-1 record in the UCL. They played just two games in the EFL Cup, defeating Doncaster before falling away at Newcastle in the fourth round.
Like Liverpool, Tottenham have claimed some quality wins but suffered some brutal losses. Spurs started the season brightly, routing Burnley at home and toppling Man City at the Etihad in their first two games. They also won away at Everton and Leeds. In European competition, they've defeated Villarreal, Copenhagen, and Slavia Praha — all home fixtures.
On the flip side, they were embarrassed at the Emirates, losing to league leaders Arsenal 4-1. Fulham took them down on their own field recently and, of course, they were dominated away at Forest last Sunday. Their 1-1 stalemate with Wolves at home — who have amassed just two points this season and are on course to be the worst Premier League team in history — looks more grim by the second. It took a 94th-minute Palhinha equalizer to rescue that point, too.
Interestingly, four of their six losses this season have come at home, and they're all in league play. If Liverpool can seize territory early — and better yet, score a quick goal — it stands to reason we can turn Tottenham's crowd against them and amplify their frustrations with Frank.
Greatest threats and notable absentees
Leading the way with goals for Tottenham this season are Richarlison (7), Micky van de Ven (5), Brennan Johnson (4), Joao Palhinha (4), and Mohammed Kudus (3). Xavi Simons, Randal Kolo Muani, and Mathys Tel are also capable of causing chaos and finding the net.
Danger men Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison remain sidelined with serious knee injuries — two of Spurs' scorers from Liverpool's thrilling 3-6 win last time they visited Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. First-team regulars Yves Bissouma, Dominic Solanke, and Destiny Udogie are also out due to fitness issues.
Lineup prediction
Spurs have played the same back five in each of their last three: Vicario, Pedro Porro, Romero, van de Ven, and Spence. Archie Gray, Kudus, Simons, and Richarlison started each of those fixtures as well. Palhinha, Bentancur, Odobert, and Kolo Muani rotated in and out of the first 11.
On the back of the Forest result, Frank will want to keep things tight first and foremost. For me, that calls for a destroyer like Palhinha who can break up play, frustrate the opposing midfield, and turn teams over. I'd think about going with Bentancur alongside him for added solidity, but because Gray has been such a mainstay, I think Frank picks him again.
Predicted Starting XI: Vicario, Pedro Porro, van de Ven, Romero, Spence, Palhinha, Gray, Kudus, Simons, Kolo Muani, Richarlison.