Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Europa League match.
Recently, Tottenham Hotspur have shown they can both pleasantly surprise and disappoint. AS Roma, meanwhile, have struggled all season, particularly in November. Claudio Ranieri is now the second manager tasked with replacing Daniele De Rossi. The Rome-based side will find it tough against Tottenham Hotspur.
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham's defeats to Galatasaray (2:3) in the previous Europa League round and to Ipswich Town (1:2) in the Premier League overshadow their emphatic victory over Manchester City (4:0). It's clear that Manchester City are in a crisis, but dismantling the English champions in such fashion is no mean feat. They had nearly as many chances (xG 2.14-2.51) as the Londoners, but Tottenham Hotspur's goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario performed admirably. Notably, Vicario played more than half of the match with a broken ankle. He has since undergone surgery and will be sidelined for a while. In the meantime, 36-year-old Fraser Forster, who brings valuable experience, will be stepping between the posts to fill the gap.
AS Roma
AS Roma have not won in November (four matches), and a loss to Bologna (2:3) in the 13th round of Serie A led to the season's second managerial change. Ivan Jurić, who had been at the helm for less than two months, was dismissed, and Claudio Ranieri, who had previously announced his retirement from coaching, was appointed. His debut was challenging against Napoli (0:1). Tottenham Hotspur do not represent an easier challenge, so even a draw would be considered a success for them.
Tottenham Hotspur vs AS Roma Prediction
Tottenham's advantage in average goal-scoring (2.2 vs Roma’s 1 goal per match) suggests they will win in an attacking fashion. We consider this a solid betting option.
