Tottenham Hotspur will look to bounce back from the disappointment of their Europa League exit when they host Stoke City at White Hart Lane on Sunday.
Mauricio Pochettino's side know that victory could leave them second in the Premier League table, while Stoke are bidding to consolidate their position in the top half.
Tottenham
© SilverHubTottenham fans will have more reason than usual to relish their trip to White Hart Lane on Sunday, with the club now guaranteed to have just eight more competitive fixtures at the stadium before their season-long move to a temporary ground next term.
It is the beginning of a run of four consecutive matches at the stadium, and they will be increasingly aware of home comforts following another disappointing result at their European home ground of Wembley on Thursday.
Spurs only managed a 2-2 draw against Gent - a side eighth in the Belgian top flight - as they crashed out of the Europa League in the last 32, with an own goal from Harry Kane and a straight red card for Dele Alli only compounding the misery of the occasion.
In fairness to the fans, they still travelled in their drones to Wembley - Thursday's match saw a record attendance for a Europa League fixture - but with the national stadium looking like their only realistic option as a home ground while the new White Hart Lane is completed next season, the supporters may be beginning to worry.
Tottenham have until the end of March to make a final decision on where they will play next term, but wherever they choose they will struggle to match their form at the Lane. Spurs have won 13 and drawn two of their 15 outings at their normal home this season, compared to one win, two defeats and a draw at Wembley.
Indeed, Spurs are the only remaining Premier League team not to have been beaten at home this season, with only Chelsea having amassed more points in front of their own fans, and victory over Stoke this weekend would make it a club record-equalling eight in a row in the Premier League.
Despite that relentless form, consistency has been an issue in the wider scheme of things for Spurs recently, with just three wins from their last eight matches across all competitions and a number of questionable performances along the way.
Tottenham's last league outing saw them fall to just their third defeat of the season as Liverpool ran out 2-0 winners at Anfield, and Pochettino's side will this weekend be looking to avoid back-to-back top-flight defeats for the first time since their collapse at the end of last season.
With neither of the Manchester clubs in action due to the EFL Cup final and Liverpool not playing until Monday night, Sunday represents a good opportunity for Spurs to steal a march on their rivals and victory should be enough to end the gameweek second in the table - perhaps even closing the gap on leaders Chelsea to seven points should the Blues suffer an unlikely home defeat to Swansea City.
With the Europa League route to Champions League football now closed off for Spurs the top four holds even greater importance, and Pochettino will know that his side's inconsistent form of late cannot afford to go on much longer, with sixth-placed Manchester United only two points behind.
Recent form: WWDDWL
Recent form (all competitions): DWLLWD
Stoke
© SilverHubFollowing a dreadful start to the season that had some worried about a relegation battle, Stoke have quickly risen up the table throughout the campaign and enter this weekend in the familiar position of ninth.
The Potters have finished in that very spot in each of the past three seasons and, considering how slowly his side began the campaign, Mark Hughes may be content with a fourth consecutive ninth-place finish this time around.
A five-point gap separates Stoke from West Bromwich Albion in eighth whereas the Potters are only two points clear of 13th-placed Watford, so another top-half finish would have to go down as a satisfactory campaign for Hughes and his side this season.
Stoke will go into this weekend's match having lost just one of their six Premier League outings so far in 2017 - a run of form which has seen them take points off both Manchester United and Everton.
However, it is their away form which will be the biggest concern for the trip to White Hart Lane, with Stoke having lost four of their last five league games on the road - including a run of three consecutive defeats to Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea during which they conceded 11 goals.
Indeed, Stoke have picked up just one point from a possible 18 on away trips to teams above them in the table so far this season and, after this weekend's visit to Tottenham, will take on Manchester City in their next away outing.
Such poor away form is not only limited to teams above them in the table, but also seemingly for trips to the capital. Stoke have only won one of their last 20 Premier League visits to London, drawing seven and losing 12, although that solitary victory did come at White Hart Lane in November 2014.
Taking anything back from the Lane this time around would be a bonus for a side who face all of the current top three over the next three weeks, while a victory would hand them back-to-back wins for the first time since December.
However, the Potters are winless in 12 matches against top-half sides this season, taking just five points from a possible 36 in that time.
Recent form: WWDDLW
Recent form (all competitions): LWDDLW
Team News
© SilverHubSpurs have no new injury concerns heading into this match, with Danny Rose and Erik Lamela their only absentees.
Pochettino must decide whether to stick with a back three which includes Eric Dier or revert to a more familiar 4-2-3-1 formation which could see Son Heung-min return to the side.
Kane, who has 10 goals in his last 10 games for Spurs, is expected to lead the line, while Alli is also likely to start despite his straight red card in midweek.
Hughes, meanwhile, must choose whether to stick with Peter Crouch up front against his former club or give a full debut to Saido Berahino, who has only made a handful of Premier League starts since seeing a move to Spurs break down in 2015.
Xherdan Shaqiri is back in contention after missing the past three weeks with a calf injury, while Phil Bardsley and Wilfried Bony are both expected to be available having overcome illness and injury respectively.
Jonathan Walters and Geoff Cameron (both knee) are nearing a return to fitness but are unlikely to be ready in time to feature this weekend.
Tottenham possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Walker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies; Wanyama, Dembele; Eriksen, Alli, Son; Kane
Stoke possible starting lineup:
Grant; Bardsley, Shawcross, Martins-Indi, Pieters; Whelan, Adam, Arnautovic, Adam, Shaqiri; Berahino
Head To Head
Spurs have won their last two meetings with Stoke by a 4-0 scoreline, most recently at the bet365 Stadium in September when Son (2), Alli and Kane were all on the scoresheet.
However, the Potters are unbeaten in their last two league visits to White Hart Lane, and a draw or win on Sunday would see them go three without defeat at the stadium for the first time in their history.
This fixture has the highest average of red cards per game of any Premier League fixture played 15 or more times, with eight in total from their past 17 meetings.
We say: Tottenham 2-0 Stoke
Spurs may not be at their best right now, but they always seem to up their game at White Hart Lane and, considering Stoke's away troubles so far this term, that points to a home win. The Potters will not make it easy, but Tottenham should have enough to pick up the victory.
