Ange Postecoglou says Tottenham's positive displays cannot be placed as a "millstone" around their necks as they bid to return to winning ways at Bournemouth on Thursday. (More Football News)
Spurs made headlines by tearing Premier League champions Manchester City apart in a 4-0 away win on matchday 12, but they 🤪were subsequently held to a 🦹1-1 draw by Fulham on matchday 13.
They have not played out the same result in any of their last eight Premier League♓ games, flitting between wins and defeats across seven straight matchdays before Sunday's draw.
With Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romeroꦺ and Guglielmo Vicario among their current injury absentees, Postecoglou says pundits and fans cannot reasonably expect total consistency.
"I know people use City as a reference point, but I was ab🅷le to p♑ut on [Brennan] Johnson and [Timo] Werner, and I had Vicario in goal," Postecoglou said.
"I𓃲 know people are looking for easy targets, but what the players are having to deal with is self-evident. We are going to have to protect our players.
"We don't have many options, so we will manage them the best we can. We ca🅺n't play like we did against City in every game.
"With this club, everything we do well is used as a mi🐲llstone to bring us down at every opportunity. We can't react to any of that.
"I just feel that the players we have at the moment are working hard to get us where we want to be, and we are still in d💮ecent shape and a decent position in the league."
Bournemouth are just two points below Spurs in the table after beating Wolves 4-2 at Molineux in a 🀅thriller last week, with Justin Kluivert becoming the first player in Premier League history to score a hat-trick of penalties.
All three spot-kicks were won by recent arrivalᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ E😼vanilson, leading coach Andoni Iraola to shower the Brazilian with praise.
"Evanilson has made the difference. He has been fighting with the centre-backs and the keeper. He was phenomenal," Iraola said𒐪.
"Evanilson didn't score, but he is why we won. He has won five penalties this seaﷺson and we have scored four.
"It is very difficult to score three penalties in one game. Justin is someone who gives us a lot, also without the🎐 ball. He is someone who understands we need his work rate. He is giving the team a lot."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Bournemouth – Evanilson
Evanilson has won more fouls than any other Bournemouth player in the Premier League this season (23). At Wolves, he became ಌthe first player in Premier League history to win three penalties in a single match.
Only K♚luivert (five), meanwhile, has netted more league goals for the Cherries than his four this campaign.
Tottenham – Brennan Johnson
༒Johnson was on target for Spurs against Fulham last time out, netting his 1൲0th goal across all competitions this campaign.
Only Erling Haaland (17), Mohamed Salah (12) and Christopher Nkꦯunku (11) have netted more among♉ all Premier League players.
MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW
Tottenham have won 10 of their 14 Premier League games against Bournemouth (71%), drawing two and losi♒ng two. Ofꦬ all sides they have faced at least 10 times in the competition, only against Swansea City (79%) do they have a higher win rate.
They did the double over the Cherries in 2023-24, winning 3-1 at home last December after triumphing 2-0 at the Vitality in Auꦦgust.
Spurs average 2.5 goals per game in the Premier League against Bournemouth (35 goals in 14 matches), their highest rate ag♚ainst any🌠 side they have faced at least 10 times in the competition.
However, they have only won twice in six ♏away matches in ⛦the top flight this campaign, drawing one and losing three.
Each of Tottenham's last five Premier League away wins have been to nil, including a 4-0 victory at City last time out on their travels. They have not won any of their last 14 when conceding on the road (five draws, nine defeats), since a 2-1 triumph at Crystal Palace 𝓀in October 2023.
Bournemouth have thre🤪e wins in their last four at home so should be expected to provide a stern ꦜtest. An entertaining draw could be on the cards.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Bournemouth – 36.5%
Tottenham – 39.1%
Draw – 24.4%
