The Premier League season is upon us. After a brief summer interlude, the best football league in Europe is back in action. It’s a chance for new players to make club debuts, new managers to set the tone, and for fans to hope anew for glory.
It was a strange season for Tottenham Hotspur. They finished 17th in the Prem table, a club low since 1977. No player on this club can even recall a Tottenham season going this poorly. Yet, they also managed to hoist a Europa League trophy by beating Manchester United, their first major trophy in 17 years. Under new manager Thomas Frank, things can only go up from here. How high they can go is very much up in the air.
Burnley is no stranger to the yo-yo sensation. They’ve cycled between relegation and promotion for the last four years. Armed with a new squad, they’re hoping to break the cycle this season and stay up. It’s a tall task, but with their blend of veterans and young talent, it’s within their grasp.
Tottenham is a -270 favorite on the moneyline for this contest. Let’s take a crack at a preview, prediction, and pick for this Tottenham-Burnley fixture.
Tottenham vs. Burnley Prediction, Pick
It’s typical for promoted clubs to have a big transfer window as they look to avoid being sent back down. Burnley did just that, and more.
Most notably, Burnley managed to lure Kyle Walker away from Manchester City. The decorated 35-year-old’s best years are behind him, but with a chance to play every day football, he can contribute at a high level. Martin Dúbravka arrives from Newcastle as the expected No. 1 goalkeeper barring any other transfer additions. But they weren’t just limited to poaching veterans from better clubs.
Burnley brought in plenty of young talent for the attack in Armando Broja, Zian Flemming, Marcus Edwards, Loum Tchaouna, and Jaidon Anthony. It’s an infusion of youth and talent into their attack that was sorely needed. The center midfield was beefed up with top transfer Lesley Ugochukwu. Management also doubled down at left back with Bashir Humphreys and Quilindschy Hartman arriving over the summer. It’s a lot for manager Scott Parker to sort through, but a depth of talent always beats a dearth.
Tottenham had a busy summer as well. Mohammed Kudus was the highest-profile addition, netting a £55 million transfer fee for West Ham. He has big shoes to fill as club legend Son Heung-min left for the MLS. Mathys Tel arrives from Bayern Munich alongside João Palhinha to bolster the lineup. They tripled down on center halves, most notably adding Kevin Danso from French side RC Lens. But there are questions for Spurs to answer.
James Maddison’s season-ending ACL injury during preseason was a severe blow. In their 5-2-1-2 lineup, the center attacking midfielder is a crucial position. Without him, they’re expected to be active in finding a replacement before the transfer window ends.
Both squads are in a very uncertain position. While Tottenham has the upper hand in terms of total talent, Burnley have narrowed that gap with a big window. People seem to forget that this Spurs club couldn’t get anything right during their Premier League season last year. I expect this to be a much closer contest than our oddsmakers imply.
