Coventry host Tottenham Hotspur in the last fixture of this round of the Carabao Cup. What an opportunity for the Spurs to regain some of that lost confidence.
It feels like the world came crashing down around Ange Postecoglou since his statement that he always wins trophies in his second season. Tottenham went on to lose the next two games, to Newcastle and Arsenal.
Nonetheless, losing to teams of this calibre is not a surprise and Tottenham were more unlucky than bad in those games. They played better football than both opponents and controlled the pace.
Unfortunately, even after 20 goal attempts against Newcastle and 15 against the Gunners, they found the net only once. Ange's men have to become more effective in the final third as creating chances is far from enough to win games.
As for Coventry, they sit in the middle of the Championship table with a single win in five rounds. Scoring goals seems to be their main problem as well but we have to note that they beat Bristol and Oxford United in the last two rounds.
Moreover, if we roll back a few months, Coventry reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup and even pushed Manchester United to their limit, only losing after penalties. This is not a team that should be underestimated.
How the bookies view it: Spurs with an overwhelming advantage
It comes as no surprise that Tottenham sit as the favourite betting option among all bookmakers. Betfred gave them 2/5 to win, while Coventry's chances have been estimated at 6/1. The draw currently sits at 7/2.
Recent head to head: Tottenham can make it five in a row
The last match between these two sides was in 2013, so there is no real recent head-to-head. But Tottenham won the last clash 3-0 and it was in the FA Cup. Before that, the teams last played in 2003 and Tottenham was dominating the rivalry almost interchangeably.
Players to watch: First goal for Solanke?
Tottenham's transfer season left much to be desired and the lack of depth means that Ange could play with a solid number of regular starters. While we expect Son to rest, you can turn your attention at Dominic Solanke, as the striker should appear early and look for his first goal with his new team.
Probable line-ups
Coventry: Wilson, Van Weijk, Thomas, Binks, Bidwell, Eccles, Allen, Rudoni, Mason-Clark, Wright, Simms
Tottenham: Foster, Porro, Romero, Davies, Dragusin, Kulusevski, Gray, Sarr, Odobert, Werner, Solanke
Anything else catch the eye?
Losing to Coventry would potentially raise questions about Ange's future as Tottenham's manager. We feel like even with Coventry's recent experience in cup competitions, Spurs will find their way to a comfortable win.
Tottenham genuinely look like a team that is a few clinical finishes away from being a contender. The creativity in this squad is up there with the best and it is up to their front three to start utilizing the dozen chances per match.
One could argue that Coventry will have chances to score but we believe it is not worth the risk. Even an Over is questionable. A scoreline around 0-2 sounds way more reasonable.
This EFL Cup match between Coventry and Tottenham Hotspur will be played on Sep 18, 2024 and kick off at 20:00. Check below for our tipsters best Coventry vs Tottenham Hotspur prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
