2020-21 Carabao Cup Quarter Finals: Stoke vs Tottenham

Stoke City welcome Tottenham Hotspur to the BET365 Stadium in their Quarter-Final tie of 2020-21 Carabao Cup. 

Stoke are looking to reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2015-16 season, whereas Spurs are looking to reach the last four for the second time in three seasons.

 

Team News

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Joe Allen could return for Stoke after nine months on sidelines with an Achilles injury.

Tyrese Campbell (knee), Lee Gregory (groin), Sam Clucas (knock) and Angus Gunn (ankle) are sidelined.

Tottenham will be without Giovani Lo Celso after the midfielder was substituted with a muscle injury in Sunday’s defeat against Leicester.

Erik Lamela (foot)  could feature after resuming full training in recent weeks whilst Japhet Tanganga (shoulder) remains ruled out alongside the cup-tied Joe Rodon.

 

Stat Attack

• Stoke won their only previous League Cup meeting against Tottenham, prevailing 7-6 on penalties in Third Round of 2011-12 League Cup at Bet365 Stadium.
• Tottenham have won five of their last seven away meetings against Stoke in all competitions since that League Cup match (W5, L2).
• Two of Stoke’s three League Cup goals this season have come in the first-half.
• Spurs’ last three League Cup matches have all gone to penalties with Tottenham prevailing on just one occasion – defeating Chelsea 5-4 on spot kicks in the last round after a 1-1 draw.
• Stoke are yet to concede a goal this season in this competition, winning their last three such games by 1-0 results.

 

Prediction

This is going to be a tough test of Spurs’ title credentials because Stoke have built an incredibly robust defence with two defeats in their last ten games, although all of their last nine results have been very tight.

Tottenham meanwhile just seemed to lack their usual sharpness on Sunday because Leicester were able to easily rip them open on the counter from both flanks and up the middle, which is a real worry coming into this game given the Potters’ tight defence.

Add in that this is another round of midweek action on top of so many already this season plus Sunday’s uncharacteristic performance, I feel that unless at least one of Son Heung-min or Kane starts then this could well be a cupset although defeat wouldn’t be a bad thing given the fixture congestion.

Prediction: Stoke 1-0 Tottenham