Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Tottenham vs Brighton in the Premier League on Boxing Day (kick-off 12.30pm).
Team news
Erik Lamela has returned to first-team training with Tottenham after missing the last two months with a hamstring problem.
Heung-Min Son is unavailable for three games over the busy festive period through suspension following his dismissal against Chelsea. Hugo Lloris (elbow) and Ben Davies (ankle) remain out.
Brighton boss Graham Potter intends putting his squad depth to the test over the Christmas period.
Colombia winger Jose Izquierdo continues to recover from a knee injury in his home country and is not expected to return until next month at the earliest.
Midfielder Solly March is still healing after undergoing groin surgery earlier in the month and will miss the Tottenham showdown.
How to follow
Follow the action with our dedicated live blog. Highlights of the game will be published just after full-time on the Sky Sports website and app plus the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel.
Opta stats
- Spurs have won their last three top-flight home games against Brighton, keeping a clean sheet each time. Their last such defeat was in October 1981 (0-1).
- Following their 3-0 victory in the reverse fixture, Brighton are looking to complete their first-ever league double over Tottenham.
- Tottenham are unbeaten in their last 13 top-flight Boxing Day games (W10 D3) since losing 0-2 at Portsmouth in 2003. Their last such home defeat was back in 1991 against Nottingham Forest (1-2).
- Brighton are winless in their last 10 Boxing Day games (D4 L6) since a 1-0 win over QPR in 2005. Their two such games in the Premier League have ended in one defeat (vs Chelsea) and one draw (vs Arsenal).
- Since Jose Mourinho's first game in charge of the club, no Premier League team has conceded more goals than Spurs across all competitions (14 - joint-most, along with Arsenal).
- Tottenham's defeat to Chelsea last time out ended a run six Premier League home games without defeat (W4 D2) - they haven't lost consecutive home games in the competition since January.
- Brighton have won just five points from their last 21 available in the Premier League (W1 D2 L4), with four of those points being won in London (2-1 vs Arsenal, 1-1 vs Crystal Palace).
- There have been six Premier League hat-tricks scored on Boxing Day, with Tottenham the only side with more than one (2). Indeed, Spurs players have scored the last two such hat-tricks in the competition (Gareth Bale in 2012, Harry Kane in 2017).
- Tottenham striker Harry Kane has scored seven goals in just four Premier League games on Boxing Day. In the history of the competition, only Robbie Fowler (9), Alan Shearer (8) and Robbie Keane (8) have scored more on 26th December.
- Tottenham boss José Mourinho has never lost in seven Premier League games on Boxing Day (W5 D2), managing more games without defeat on the day than any other manager in the competition.
Charlie Nicholas' prediction
I have been really impressed with Brighton, but they were poor against Sheffield United. At the same time, Tottenham were awful and well-beaten against Chelsea. Heung-Min Son's red card tells you all you need to know. Have things changed under Jose Mourinho? I don't think they have.
Harry Kane looks off the pace and Jan Vertonghen is really struggling to deal with pace. If I were Brighton I would get Leandro Trossard on his side and really test him. It's essential that Spurs stay in the frame for the top four so for that reason alone I think they will get over the line.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 2-1 (15/2 with Sky Bet)