Tottenham Hotspur vs AFC Bournemouth Predictions

• Bournemouth completely dominated proceedings when these two last met
• Spurs have lost 10 of their 11 clashes with the top eight in the Premier League
• The hosts have lost four of six and their focus will likely be on next week’s Europa League tie

Tough timing for Tottenham

Tottenham’s 1-0 loss at AZ Alkmaar on Thursday means their season is on the line in next week’s return leg. The hosts are 13th in the league and they’re already out of both cup competitions. With a 13-point gap to the top five, Spurs need to put everything into the Europa League as they chase a trophy and a return to Europe.

That means we could see a rotated Spurs side as Ange Postecoglou makes Thursday’s return clash a priority. Even without changes, Spurs should be underdogs for this contest given that they host an exciting Bournemouth side who are just a point outside the top six.

Hosts could be out of their depth

For all the good work Andoni Iraola did last term, the gulf that has emerged between these sides has been remarkable. It’s partly down to Tottenham’s awful return from this campaign, as their drop-off from last season has been stark.

The hosts have a terrible record when it comes to racing the European contenders. They’ve lost 10 of their 11 clashes with the top eight, with their sole win coming in a surprise victory at a vulnerable Man City outfit. The Citizens beat them 1-0 in their last Premier League game, which left Spurs with five defeats from five at home to the top eight.

Cherries should be well-prepped for victory

Bournemouth are clearly the stronger side going into this one and they’ve recorded comprehensive wins over Manchester United, Everton, Wolves, Ipswich and Southampton on their travels this term.

The Cherries were also completely dominant in their 1-0 win against Spurs in December, as they recorded 3.5 Expected Goals to Tottenham’s 0.9. That suggests that Iraola can work out this Spurs side, especially as the Cherries haven’t been in action since progressing to the FA Cup quarter-finals last Saturday.

Tottenham head into this contest following four defeats in six, while they’ve lost half of their home league games this season. Their focus is likely to be elsewhere ahead of the visit of a side who have been clearly stronger than the hosts this term. Bournemouth look well-positioned for the points in this clash.