Tottenham vs Brighton preview: Spurs aim to boost top-four bid

Tottenham will be looking to strengthen their top-four position when they host Brighton in the Premier League on Tuesday, live on Sky Sports.

Spurs were beaten 1-0 by Manchester City on Saturday, just a few days after knocking City out of the Champions League in dramatic fashion.

However, with Arsenal and Manchester United also losing over the weekend - and Chelsea held by Burnley on Monday Night Football - Mauricio Pochettino's side remain third in the table.

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Pochettino is confident that playing in their new stadium, where they have won all three of their games so far, will prove an added boost.

"We hope we can keep going, getting the same result," he said. "It is going to be fantastic and it is going to be helpful for us playing in the new stadium with our fans and we hope and wish to repeat the performances of the previous results."

And the Spurs boss has dismissed any notion that his players will be distracted the Champions League semi-final with Ajax.

"We are not thinking of Ajax. We showed that [against Man City]. Now our energy is in Brighton," he added.

"It is so clear that we have two objectives - one is to be in the top four at the end of the season and the other is to beat Ajax, but we need to go step-by-step."

Brighton drew 0-0 at Wolves on Saturday to give their survival hopes a boost.

The Seagulls are three points above 17th-placed Cardiff, who lost against Liverpool, and manager Chris Hughton wants his side to secure their top-flight status as soon as possible.

"We're a team of our level playing in the Premier League and, up until probably the last month or so, we've been in a decent enough position in the league," he said.

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"Probably our poorest period came at the worst time, but that happens when you're playing in a division as difficult as this one and when you are the level of club that we are.

"We have to find formulas and pull out results to get the points that we need."

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Team news

Hugo Lloris is likely to be available after missing the defeat at Man City but Harry Winks is touch and go after missing the past two games.

Moussa Sissoko is expected to be out for two weeks, while Harry Kane remains sidelined.

Relegation-threatened Brighton will be without injured midfielder Davy Propper after he went off with a hamstring problem during Saturday's goalless draw at Wolves, with Beram Kayal hoping to take his place.

Winger Anthony Knockaert completes a three-match ban after being sent off against Bournemouth on April 13.

Opta stats

• Tottenham have only lost one of their six previous home league games against Brighton (W3 D2 L1), winning the last two by a 2-0 scoreline in December 1982 and December 2017.
• Brighton are winless in their last five meetings with Tottenham in all competitions, drawing one and losing four since a 2-1 league win in April 1983.
• Tottenham have won all three of their home games in all competitions since moving into their stadium, scoring seven goals and conceding none.
• Tottenham have lost four Premier League home games this season, just one fewer than they'd lost at home in their three previous league campaigns combined. However, five of their last six home defeats have been against 'big six' opposition, with a 1-3 reverse against Wolves in December the exception.
• None of Tottenham's last 67 Premier League games have ended 0-0 - currently the longest such run in the division, and Spurs' longest ever run without a goalless draw in the competition.
• Brighton have failed to score in their last five Premier League games - the longest current run in the competition, and the joint-longest such run in total this season (Southampton also five).
• Brighton have lost all 10 of their Premier League away games against 'big six' opponents, conceding 22 goals and scoring just twice.
• Spurs haven't lost a Premier League home game on a Tuesday since August 2007 (1-3 vs Everton), winning seven and drawing one since then.

Paul Merson's prediction

I can't see anything other than a Tottenham win.

Brighton did great to get the draw at Wolves, which was massive for them as Cardiff now have to get two results instead of one, but I don't think they will get anything here.

Tottenham have been good in their new stadium and I think they will consolidate their top-four place with a win.

PAUL PREDICTS: 3-0

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