English Premier League - Match Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur VS Southampton

Match Time：4/22/2021 01:00 Thursday  (GMT+8)

English Premier League --  Tottenham Hotspur   VS   Southampton

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Amid fury and condemnation from supporters over their involvement in the European Super League, Tottenham Hotspur begin life after Jose Mourinho when they welcome Southampton to North London in Wednesday's Premier League clash.
 
The hosts could only take a point from a 2-2 draw with Everton on Friday evening, whereas Southampton's FA Cup journey ended at the hands of Leicester City in the semi-finals.
 
Match preview
Mere hours after announcing their involvement in the controversial European Super League, Tottenham confirmed that Jose Mourinho's tumultuous time in the North London dugout had come to an end, just six days before Spurs bid to end their trophy drought in the EFL Cup final.
 
If threats by football's governing bodies are anything to go by, Tottenham will not be plying their trade in the Premier League for much longer, so interim coach Ryan Mason must make the remainder of the league campaign count if Spurs do indeed join football's superpowers in the breakaway European Super League.
 
Tottenham's recent performances have not personified that of a leading continental club, though, with the North London side now winless in three Premier League matches and relying on the brilliance of Harry Kane to propel them to a point at Goodison Park last time out.
 
The England captain was on hand to capitalise on two lapses of concentration from Everton's defence, but former Lilywhites playmaker Gylfi Sigurdsson was the thorn in Mourinho's side on Merseyside as his brace ensured that the spoils were shared on Friday.
 
Spurs fans were not best pleased with the club's announcement of their European Super League plans - an act which rubbed salt into the wounds after they witnessed Kane limp off injured against Everton - and Mourinho leaves the seventh-placed Lilywhites are five points adrift of the top four with seven games left to play.
 
However, Spurs did manage to string together a three-game winning streak at home before Manchester United came, saw and conquered, and Mourinho has departed before running the risk of losing 10 home games at a single club for the first time ever, so 29-year-old Mason is under enormous pressure to spark an immediate revival in the capital.
 
Tottenham will travel to Wembley for the EFL Cup final on April 25, but Southampton's trip to the home of English football ended in dismay at the weekend, as Ralph Hasenhuttl's side bowed out of the FA Cup at the semi-final stage following a 1-0 defeat to Leicester City.
 
The prolific Kelechi Iheanacho struck the game's only goal in front of 4,000 fans on Sunday evening, and any faint hopes of Southampton ending the season on a high now rests solely on their Premier League fortunes, which will not inspire much confidence within the ranks either.
 
Hasenhuttl's side were firmly in the European conversation during the earliest stages of the campaign, but their torrid turnaround in fortunes sees them occupy 14th spot in the table, and they are not entirely safe just yet as nine points separate them from 18th-placed Fulham, who have played two games more.
 
The Saints have suffered defeat in 11 of their last 14 top-flight matches, including seven of their last eight away from home, and their tally of 10 points from 15 matches since the turn of the year is the fewest out of all 20 Premier League clubs, although an easing injury list should help Hasenhuttl steer his side away from the unforeseen threat of relegation.
 
Kane and Son Heung-min must still feature in the nightmares of Southampton supporters after their deadly double act in September's 5-2 win for Spurs, and the Lilywhites have come up trumps in eight of their last nine home games against the Saints - most recently losing 2-1 in May 2016.
 
Tottenham Hotspur Premier League form: WLWDLD
Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions): LLWDLD
 
Southampton Premier League form: LWLLWL
Southampton form (all competitions): LLWWLL
 
Team News
It would take a brave soul to confidently predict how Mason will opt to line up for his first game in charge, but he will almost certainly be without top scorer Harry Kane, who could reportedly miss up to three weeks with his ankle problem.
 
The Spurs coach could therefore decide to bring Carlos Vinicius back into the fold after he was dropped by Mourinho for tactical reasons against Everton, but Lucas Moura is another option for the hosts.
 
With Mason having just six days to prepare for an EFL Cup final, further rotation could be on the cards as Giovani Lo Celso, Harry Winks and Japhet Tanganga hope to impress under new leadership.
 
Gareth Bale will hope to be handed a new lease of life now that Mourinho has been relieved of his duties, and he ought to feel confident about his chances of starting against his former club this week.
 
Mason has confirmed that Matt Doherty is ready to return from injury, but Ben Davies remains sidelined with a calf problem.
 
Southampton will welcome Takumi Minamino back to the fold after he was ineligible for the FA Cup, and the Liverpool loanee will likely battle Theo Walcott for the chance to replace Moussa Djenepo out wide.
 
Nathan Redmond was given the nod up top in the cup, but he was hooked just before the hour mark for Che Adams and will likely relinquish his spot to the Scotland international here.
 
Will Smallbone, Oriol Romeu and Michael Obafemi all remain out of contention, and Hasenhuttl may be tempted to bring Alex McCarthy back in goal after Fraser Forster let in three against West Bromwich Albion, but the latter should keep his place for now.
 
Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Tanganga, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Reguilon; Hojbjerg, Winks; Bale, Lo Celso, Son; Vinicius
 
Southampton possible starting lineup:

Forster; Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Vestergaard, Bertrand; Minamino, Diallo, Ward-Prowse, Armstrong; Ings, Adams

Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Southampton

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Verona VS Fiorentina, a good result for the visitors

Match Time：4/21/2021 02:45 Wednesday (GMT+8) 

Italian Serie A -- Verona VS Fiorentina

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Having picked up just five points from their past eight games, Fiorentina travel to meet mid-table Hellas Verona on Tuesday in danger of drifting into relegation trouble.

Three defeats from four have left the Viola looking over their shoulders at Serie A's drop zone, while ninth-placed Verona are seeking to secure successive top-half finishes since returning to the top flight.

Match preview

Following their dismal 3-1 reverse at Sassuolo on Saturday - where they had just 27% of the possession and saw Giacomo Bonaventura's superb strike rendered meaningless by leaking three second-half goals - the threat of relegation still lingers for Fiorentina.

Having also conceded three times against Atalanta in their previous outing, they now face the final seven games of the season only five points clear of Cagliari - who sit just below the dreaded dotted line.

Beppe Iachini's side have picked up only 30 points after 30 matches for the first time since 2001-02, when they were relegated at the end of the season. So, still to secure their top-flight place for next term, the Viola now take on Verona - the first of four members of the top nine they must face during the run-in.

The Tuscan outfit's dire away form is mostly responsible for their drift down the standings, as their record on the road is better only than Serie B-bound pair Parma and Crotone - with a mere two successes in 15 games away from the Artemio Franchi.

In total, Fiorentina have won only one of their last nine league games under Iachini - who returned to the dugout following Cesare Prandelli's unexpectedly early departure last month - the last of which was against Udinese in October. Very much a low-cost temporary measure, the club's supposedly ambitious hierarchy may end up regretting their decision to re-hire the former Palermo boss come the end of another troubled season.

With club president Rocco Commisso declaring a media silence and sending his team to a 'ritiro' (training retreat) after their latest defeat, there will at least be no distractions for the struggling side ahead of their trip north.

Verona's 1-0 loss to Lazio last week saw Ivan Juric's well-drilled side concede their first goal in three games and their so-far successful campaign has been built on an admirably resilient rearguard.

However, an uncharacteristic second-half collapse at Sampdoria on Saturday brought about a second straight defeat - with the Scaligeri shipping three goals to their closest rivals in the Serie A standings. In all, they have now lost five of their last six games.

Still hoping to hold onto a top-half finish next month, it is the misfiring Hellas attack which poses Juric most cause for concern. While they were unable to muster a single shot on target against Lazio, their only goal at the weekend came through a delicious free-kick from wing-back Danko Lazovic.

Once more highlighting their ongoing problems in the final third, Samp supremo Claudio Ranieri could make a triple substitution at half-time - bringing on Keita Balde, Antonio Candreva and Manolo Gabbiadini, with all three contributing to their goals - as the short-handed Juric could only turn to goal-shy loan striker Andrea Favilli.

Centre-forward Kevin Lasagna had been far from prolific for former club Udinese before joining the Gialloblu in January as cover for injury-stricken summer signing Nikola Kalinic and has also failed to fire since moving to Veneto. As a result, Verona have the weakest scoring record in the top half of the table.

Nonetheless, the hosts will expect to find the net against Fiorentina's dubious defence this time out, with their visitors providing a presentable opportunity to get back on track ahead of a trip to leaders Inter Milan next week.

Hellas Verona Serie A form:WWWLWW

Fiorentina Serie A form:DWLDLL

Team News

Verona captain Miguel Veloso was unexpectedly absent from the squad which faced Sampdoria on Saturday, as he is expected to undergo surgery on his neck. The veteran midfielder - who has contributed two goals and two assists in 20 Serie A appearances this season - has opted to address the long-running problem and may not return until the final fixtures of the season.

In his absence, Stefano Sturaro and Antonin Barak surprisingly started in the middle, though Adrien Tameze was introduced from the bench and could start on Tuesday.

Ronaldo Vieira and Mert Cetin are expected to remain unavailable for the hosts though, while Nikola Kalinic continues his comeback from a thigh strain and hopes to feature on the bench.

Only ineffective January signing Aleksandr Kokorin is set to miss out for Fiorentina with a thigh strain, as the away side travel at close to full strength.

Defensive mainstay Lucas Martinez Quarta was dropped at the weekend, but is likely to return to Beppe Iachini's starting XI, while young Christian Kouame is in contention to partner top scorer Dusan Vlahovic up front, as 38-year-old Franck Ribery may struggle to start twice within a matter of days.

Hellas Verona possible starting lineup:

Silvestri; Lovato, Dawidowicz, Dimarco; Faraoni, Tameze, Sturaro, Lazovic; Barak, Zaccagni; Lasagna

Fiorentina possible starting lineup:

Dragowski; Milenkovic, Pezzella, Martinez Quarta; Caceres, Castrovilli, Pulgar, Bonaventura, Biraghi; Kouame, Vlahovic

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Report: J.J. Redick wants Pelicans to trade him, Knicks on list

Pelicans guard J.J. Redick is in the throes of trade rumors. By request. Brian Windhorst of ESPN: He has not played well and not happy and wants to be traded. Would really like to be traded to the Northeast, where his offseason home is in Brooklyn. He’d love to go to Brooklyn, the Knicks, Boston or Philly. That has been communicated out there. It’s been known for a week or two. Redick had already been linked to the Nets, 76ers and Celtics. The Knicks are a new revelation Trade requests are far more common than many realize. Especially by out-of-rotation players – like Redick. At 7-12 and 14th in the Western Conference, the Pelicans are seemingly prioritizing playing young guards like Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Kira Lewis. Redick, age 36 and on an expiring contract, doesn’t have much place in New Orleans. Which is why the Pelicans will probably try to accommodate his trade request. But finding suitors might not be easy. Redick looks more one-dimensional than ever and is struggling in that dimension, shooting just 30% on 3-pointers. His relatively high $13,013,700 salary doesn’t make a trade easier. Maybe win-now teams like the Nets, 76ers, Celtics and Knicks believe Redick will perform better with them. He’s accustomed to winning situations. Playing closer to home could also make him more comfortable. New Orleans will send Redick to whichever team makes the best offer. The Pelicans probably don’t want much. But we’re learning what Redick wants. Players can drive trades themselves. If he’s trying to arrange a deal with Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Boston or New York, one of those teams could bite. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Here is what the Rockets reportedly want back in trade for PJ Tucker

After the Houston Rockets traded James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets, rival teams circled them as potential sellers before the trade deadline. The most likely player who many believed could potentially on the move is veteran PJ Tucker. The two parties have reportedly been unable to come to terms on a contract extension and multiple teams have called to inquire about his availability. According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Kelly Iko, the 31-year-old is “not opposed” to a trade. On a recent episode of The Hoop Collective, basketball insider Brian Windhorst hinted at what it would take to trade for Tucker (via ESPN): “The word on the street that I heard that has been floated [for his value]: they either want a first-round pick or three seconds, which I’ve never heard that arithmetic done. Three seconds … There are fifteen teams that are somewhat impacted from trading firsts and eight who can’t really trade any, sort of narrows the market. Most of the competitors, most of the teams who are playoff teams this year, are encumbered from trading their pick.” Windhorst mentioned the Philadelphia 76ers (who “covet” his services), Denver Nuggets (who “have always liked” Tucker but reportedly haven’t reached out yet) and Toronto Raptors (who originally drafted him in 2006) as destinations who are not barred from trading their first-round pick and could be interested in adding Tucker in their pursuit of the playoffs. After the Harden trade, an NBA executive told our own Michael Scotto that the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics make sense as suitors for Tucker as well. The list is presumably much longer, however, considering every contender could use a player like Tucker. Windhorst clarified that this may have only been the asking price that Houston told one team during initial conversations to start the negotiations. But after the Harden trade, The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor also reported Tucker’s price as three second-rounders. ESPN’s Bobby Marks added that it is unlikely that front offices will offer a first-round pick for Tucker or other veterans also on expiring contracts like Derrick Rose. But he said that he would not be surprised to hear about more teams offering packages centered around second-round picks. Ultimately, if Tucker is eventually moved, it sounds like a front office that is willing to offer three second-round picks could convince the Rockets to pull the trigger. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Eric Gordon excited by vibe, culture of improving Rockets

Having signed with Houston in July 2016, reserve guard Eric Gordon is the longest-tenured member of the 2020-21 Rockets. Over his five seasons in Houston, the peak likely came in 2018, when the Rockets (65-17) won the most regular-season games in franchise history and easily led the entire NBA in record. That squad, which was led by James Harden and Chris Paul, went to the Western Conference Finals and was only a game away from knocking off eventual champion Golden State — only to have Paul’s hamstring go out at the worst time. In the regular season, the 2017-18 Rockets had two different winning streaks of more than 10 games (14 and 17). Though the current Rockets have won five straight, Gordon isn’t ready to compare this squad — which lacks proven superstars — to that loaded team from a few years ago. He does, however, see common traits in regards to the chemistry and culture within the Houston locker room. Following Sunday’s practice in Oklahoma City, Gordon said: You can see how hard we play. And it’s not just how hard we play; it’s fun when we play that way. We created an atmosphere; it’s been really good lately. It almost feels like a couple years ago, when we had multiple [10-game] winning streaks. Everybody has an unselfish attitude. When you see that, it creates a better vibe, more geared toward winning. Since trading Harden, Gordon is averaging 19.7 points (45.1% FG, 38.8% on 3-pointers) and 2.9 assists in 30.9 minutes per game. He and the Rockets (9-9) hope keep the good times rolling when they visit the Thunder (8-10) on Monday. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. Central. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Dallas Mavericks are a bust so far, and some of that is on Rick Carlisle

This is not a good time to be the president, CEO or marketing director of the Rick Carlisle Fan Club. For one of the few times since Carlisle came to the Mavericks in 2008 his team looks like they are not there. It may actually be the first time it’s happened since he’s been here. The Dallas Mavericks are the second-most disappointing team in the NBA, behind only the Miami Heat. More than any other professional sport, the NBA is a player’s league. But if the team is not consistently showing up, which this team is not, the coach has to feel some of that fun. “We’ve gotta be more consistent with our posture and our disposition and our intensity. No question about it,” Carlisle said Thursday in Utah after the team’s practice when I asked him if he thought his team was playing hard enough to win. If a coach disagrees with that type of question, he’s going to let you know about it. What he’s telling his team is to wake the bleep up and get into somebody. The Mavs are scheduled to play the Jazz again on Friday night in Salt Lake City, but don’t be surprised if they fly back on Friday morning after the Jazz’s ball boy flunks a contact tracing test because his pet goldfish has COVID. Other than Luka Doncic’s triple-double tracker, there isn’t much worth celebrating about the 2020-21 Dallas Mavericks. Unless this team starts to play harder, and quits watching Luka amass empty MVP numbers, this is not a playoff team. They are 8-10, losers of three straight and are in 11th place in a stacked Western Conference, three spots south of the postseason. Right now, despite the presence of Luka and Kristaps Porzingis, this is not even an average team. Too many guys are under performing, and expecting Luka to be LeBron when he’s not. There are, however, a host of perfectly reasonable explanations for Carlisle’s team to be where they find themselves. The team has suffered through a slew of absences from COVID protocols, and Carlisle has not had the chance to coach the team the Mavericks built in the six-week offseason once. Also worth noting, no one cares. You can live with the results considering the team has not been together at all. What you can’t live with is a team that appears to be OK getting its butt kicked. No one expected the Mavs to be the L.A. Lakers, or Milwaukee Bucks. But, heck, the Mavs aren’t even the New York Knicks, who are currently 8th in the East. The Mavs are one of the worst rebounding teams in the NBA. You’re not winning if you can’t have the ball. Defensively they are not much better than they were last season, which is barely average. After Friday night, this all has to change. After Friday night, they will have played a league-high 13 games on the road. According to NBA COVID protocols, players are going to practice, the games, and every other minute is spent in a hotel room. That can’t be fun, or helpful. As much as NBA players all yearned to get out of “the bubble” from last season, this season is not much better. “We are not going to make excuses about COVID,” Carlisle said. Wise choice. The Mavs should get forward Maxi Kleber back shortly, and then they will have the team they expected to before the season began. Beginning Saturday against Phoenix, the Mavericks will play 11 of their next 13 games at home. Even though they are playing in an empty American Airlines Center, the chance to just not be on the road should make some difference. If this team is still sleep walking its way around .500 on Feb. 23 after hosting Boston, they will have no choice but to consider a move or two before the trade deadline on March 25. They may not like Cleveland Cavaliers forward Andre Drummond, but it would be nice if they could find a player with that type of interior game. (BTW, there is some thought Drummond may get bought out soon.) The offseason additions of James Johnson and Josh Richardson are nice, and it still doesn’t give the Mavs muscle underneath. The Mavs knew coming into the season this was not a “finished” team, but if they keep playing at their current pace they are most certainly finished. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Report: Nets interested in Kevin Love, JaVale McGee

The Brooklyn Nets still have roster spots to fill after unloading Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Taurean Prince and Rodions Kurucs in the James Harden trade, which involved the Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers in addition to the Houston Rockets. With Allen going to Cleveland in the deal, the Cavaliers found themselves with an excessive amount of big men on the roster, already featuring Andre Drummond, Kevin Love, Larry Nance Jr. and JaVale McGee on their roster. It turns out the Cavs are looking to move on from some of those bigs — and according to Jason Dumas of KRON 4, the Nets are interested in two. Dumas is reporting the Nets “are in active discussions with the Cleveland Cavaliers to acquire” McGee. Additionally, Dumas reports the Nets “have interest in” Love, who played with Kyrie Irving and Joe Harris previously in Cleveland. McGee is averaging 6.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game while logging 16.8 minutes a night off the bench. Love has been out with a calf injury since he aggravated it in a December 27 game. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .