On Wednesday night, from 17:30, Stoke City and Tottenham meet in the quarterfinals of the English League Cup. Obviously, Jose Mourinho’s team is the favorite, but the “potters” come after reliable defensive performances.
Stoke are struggling to return to the first league and come after three games in a row without a goal conceded, two of the matches being played away, on difficult pitches: 0-0 with Derby County and 0-0 with QPR. Last weekend, Stoke defeated Blackburn Rovers 1-0 after a goal scored by Powell (‘7) – an energetic and pragmatic performance. It was a match dominated by Rovers, in which Stoke sent a single shot on goal (!), All statistics being on Blackburn’s side. In vain, because Michael O’Neill’s students defended themselves exemplary and obtained three vital points.
The white-reds have won 9 of the 20 stages played so far and attack the promotion places, with 33 points. The 3rd place team, Swansea, has 36 points, so the fight is hot in the Championship. Morale in the “potters'” camp is high and Spurs will not have an easy match, especially since more reserves will enter the field. Tottenham comes after two consecutive defeats in the league, 1-2 with Liverpool and 0-2 with Leicester, after defensive performances that made the discordant note compared to the evolutions of this season. Tottenham have conceded a goal in the last three official matches and it is possible to witness a spectacular new match, as has happened in direct duels in recent years.
Totteham have won without appeal the last 5 direct matches with Stoke, three times with 4-0, once with 5-1 and once with 2-1 (on the last trip). In 2018, the two teams last met, when Spurs won with the goals of Eriksen (’52) and Kane (’63), after Mame Diouf (’57). On Wednesday night, Stoke will not be able to count on Allen, Davies and goalkeeper Gunn, while Jose Mourinho makes his plans without Lamela.
It is possible to see Gareth Bale as a starter, and the Welsh star has a great thirst for play after the long period of injury lately. We are witnessing an open game, with a good rhythm, but in which the quality of the London players should stand out, in the second half.
Stoke City: Bursik; Collins, Chester, Souttar, Fox; Cousins, Mikel; Brown, Powell, McClean; Vokes
Coach: Michael O’Neill
Tottenham Hotspur: Hart; Doherty, Sanchez, Rodon, Davies; Winks, Hojbjerg; Bale, Alli, Lucas; Vinicius
Coach: Jose Mourinho
PREDICTION: Tottenham to win @ 1,53
