It is hard to get motivated for this match. It is coming too soon after the CL match. We may have progressed to the CL semi final but we still lost at Emirates Marketing Project away in the second leg. We traditionally have a poor record at the top 6 teams away that we can write off those 5 matches every season. We have such a poor record at Emirates Marketing Project, winning 1, drawing 1 and losing 7 of our last 9 matches in all competitions. But we did beat ManU away earlier this season. So, maybe we can hope for a miracle like that in this match. After all, we have to win all our remaining league matches to finish in the top 3 in the league.
Looking at our injury problems lately, not sure who will be fit to start this match. In fact, won't mind if Pochettino rest our regular players due to our poor record there even with our best players. But if we do play our best available players, hope they will lift their form in this match. Son did well to score 3 goals in 2 matches against Emirates Marketing Project in the CL. Hope he can continue his goal scoring run. Moura scored the hattrick against Huddersfield. So, maybe we can start him against Emirates Marketing Project. Want to see Llorente getting involved in this match as well. Eriksen have been poor lately but still has assisted goals in his last 5 matches. Hope he can continue creating the chances for us. Alli and Lamela have been struggling with injuries, so won't mind if they are not involved in this match.
Our options seems limited in midfield due to injury problems. It seems like Wanyama is our only fit midfielder with Sissoko, Winks and Dier struggling with injury problems. Maybe we can play Sanchez in midfield with Wanyama if others are not fully fit. Don't want youngsters like Skipp getting involved as their lack of experience will always be a problem against big teams like Emirates Marketing Project.
Our defence conceded 4 goals to Emirates Marketing Project in the CL second leg match. We badly need to tighten our defence in this match. I think we should play defensively to get a result in this match. But with only Alderweireld and Vertonghen being our reliable defenders, not sure how we can improve our defence. Surely, Trippier cannot play in this match after his error-prone performance against Emirates Marketing Project in the CL match. But if he does play again, hope he will do much better.
Just a few weeks ago, we still had one of the best away record in the league. But since then, we have lost our last 7 consecutive away matches to English teams, 4 in the league and 1 each in the League Cup, FA Cup and CL. It must be one of our longest away defeats in recent times. We badly need to get back our good away form soon. Let's hope we will do something to get at least a draw against Emirates Marketing Project in this match.