Tottenham Hotspur vs Leeds United: 4 key battles | Premier League 2021-22
Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United face each other on Sunday in the Premier League. Both teams will feel themselves to be far away from the position they should be in the table. Naturally they will want to set it right starting with this game.
Languishing at 9th in the table, Tottenham have won only two of their last five games. But under new manager Antonio Conte, they looked solid in the last game against Everton when they were held to a goalless draw.
Leeds United, on the other hand, held Leicester City to a 1-1 draw, making it three matches in a row without a loss to their name. Despite that, they still look far from the side that made heads turn with their exciting style of play last season.
With that said, here are four important matchups that will determine the result:
#1 Son Heung-Min (Tottenham) vs Liam Cooper (Leeds United)
With Harry Kane yet to come a cropper this season, it is Son Heung-Min who has carried the Tottenham attack in every match. With four goals in the league so far, he is their top-scorer and their biggest attacking threat.
With 2.4 shots and 1.8 key passes per game, he is the attacker most involved both in scoring and making of the goals. If Harry Kane can get his national side's form into the Premier League, his delivery could lead to the dividends they deserve.
Heung-Min Son has scored Tottenham's first goal under Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo, and Antonio Conte. #THFC [@RichJolly] https://t.co/wnwpueyPYX
But in Liam Cooper he will have to deal with a player who has not missed even a minute in the league. With 2.3 tackles and 1.9 interceptions per game to his name, he has been Leeds United's best defender this season.
Fewer Leeds players have made more out of their natural ability than Liam Cooper.
An average Championship CB to Premier League captain and potential World Cup appearance. Fantastic few years for someone who's been a superb captain for #lufc.
Moreover, he has been dribbled past only 0.5 times per game in the league so far, which is Son's biggest strength. If Cooper can keep Son quiet on the flank, it will be vital in keeping Tottenham as a whole quiet on the night.
#2 Raphinha (Leeds United) vs Sergio Reguilon (Tottenham)
One of the first things Antonio Conte did on his arrival at Tottenham was go back to his preferred three at the back of defense. He started playing with two wing backs, prompting Reguilon to play a different role in the team.
That is all for the better, because the Spaniard leads the team in interceptions (2 per game) and puts in 1.7 tackles per game. He will need all of that when he takes on Raphinha, because the Leeds man is in red hot form.
⚪️Wing-backs stretch Everton⚪️
Conte has a history of emphasising his wing-backs offensive abilities, from Marcos Alonso and Victor Moses at Chelsea to Achraf Hakimi and Ivan Perisic at Inter Milan, and he is doing the same with Sergio Reguilon and Emerson Royal at Tottenham.⚪️ https://t.co/ffXBSlQ1Nl
Raphinha is the team's leading goal scorer with five goals to his name, and takes 3.4 shots every game. Moreover, his 2.2 key passes and 2.8 dribbles per game is the team's highest. In short, Raphinha has been a nightmare to play against as a defender.
Most Premierleague Key Passes outside the 'Big Six':
Matt Ritchie 🏴 (Newcastle United)
Youri Tielemans 🇧🇪 (Leicester City)
Raphinha 🇧🇷 (Leeds United) https://t.co/9VNYQEP7ia
But with Conte's system, the Spurs defenders will be in much better shape to deal with him in the wings. This is due to an overload of the centre-backs to prevent him from cutting in. Even then, it will be a tough match for Reguilon and the whole of the Spurs defense really.