Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to bounce back from their derby defeat to Chelsea when they host Brighton & Hove Albion on Boxing Day.
Having featured in the final Premier League match before Christmas, Spurs are also the first team in action on a bumper day of football as the hectic festive fixture schedule enters its busiest phase.
Match preview
© Reuters
Revenge will be in the air for Spurs on Boxing Day as they aim to atone for one of the darker days towards the end of Mauricio Pochettino's reign - a 3-0 defeat to Brighton at the Amex Stadium in October.
There is, of course, a new man at the helm for the North London outfit now and Jose Mourinho has won four of his six Premier League games in charge, but the two exceptions in that time have been significant ones.
Defeats to former clubs Manchester United and Chelsea have halted their revival in the top-four race, with the latter on Sunday leaving them six points adrift of the Champions League places.
For all of their inconsistency this season, Spurs have not lost back-to-back league games since May, although the last time they suffered that fate across all competitions it was Brighton who inflicted the second defeat on them.
Tottenham were second in the table with 45 points at the halfway stage of last season, whereas this time around the best they can hope for is fifth place with 29 points - a reflection of a severe slump in form which has plagued them for almost the entirety of 2019.
© Reuters
In many ways the club will be relieved to see the back of a year which saw them reach a first Champions League final, then, although this final home game of 2019 does give the team a chance to give their fans reason for optimism heading into 2020.
Spurs have not lost consecutive Premier League home games since January and have a particularly good record on Boxing Day, winning 10 and losing none of their last 13 such matches stretching back to 2003.
Not since 1991 have they lost a home game on Boxing Day, while Mourinho himself is unbeaten in seven games on that day - the longest unblemished Boxing Day run by a manager in the Premier League - but it has not been entirely plain sailing for the Portuguese.
No Premier League team has conceded more goals than Tottenham since Mourinho took charge of the club, which should give Brighton belief that they can end their own poor Boxing Day record of no wins in 10 since 2005.
The Seagulls do not arrive at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the best form, though, with just one win from their last seven league games and five points from the 21 on offer in that time.
© Reuters
The solitary victory in that time did come in North London at the expense of Arsenal, though, and Graham Potter will still be largely pleased with his side's first half of the season.
Brighton are on course to reach the magic 40-point mark and boast a relatively comfortable five-point lead over the relegation zone, although should their poor form continue for much longer then that could quickly be eaten up.
Six of their next seven games after this one come against teams currently below them in the table, though, so Potter will be optimistic of an upturn in form during the early stages of the New Year.
The Seagulls were beaten 1-0 at home by high-flying Sheffield United in their final match before Christmas, but having beaten Spurs convincingly once already this season they should arrive in North London with genuine hope that they can record what would be their first ever league double over Tottenham.
Tottenham Premier League form: WWLWWL
Tottenham form (all competitions): WLWLWL
Brighton Premier League form: LLWDDL
Team News
© Reuters
Spurs will be without the suspended Son Heung-min after his red card for kicking out at Antonio Rudiger, leading to the alleged racial abuse of the Chelsea defender.
Tottenham have appealed the South Korean's ban, but if unsuccessful Son will miss the next three matches, which could hand Christian Eriksen a route back into the starting lineup.
Captain Hugo Lloris is expected to miss at least another month after dislocating his elbow in the reverse fixture of this one, while Ben Davies is also out and Erik Lamela is a major doubt.
Harry Kane has seven goals in four top-flight games on Boxing Day, with only Robbie Fowler, Alan Shearer and Robbie Keane having scored more on the date.
Brighton, meanwhile, are still without Solly March due to a groin injury, while Jose Izquierdo is also absent.
Potter made all three of his changes inside 56 minutes against Sheffield United, including two at half time, and so could hand recalls to the likes of Yves Bissouma and Aaron Connolly, the latter of whom burst onto the scene with a brace against Spurs at the Amex.
Both managers may also be plotting a certain degree of rotation given the quick turnaround in fixtures at this time of the year.
Tottenham possible starting lineup:
Gazzaniga; Aurier, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Rose; Ndombele, Winks; Lo Celso, Alli, Eriksen; Kane
Brighton possible starting lineup:
Ryan; Webster, Dunk, Burn; Bissouma, Propper, Stephens, Mooy, Trossard; Maupay, Connolly
We say: Tottenham 2-1 Brighton
Tottenham have beaten the teams that they have been expected to beat so far under Mourinho, and considering Brighton's poor form coming into this one we expect them to continue that trend on Boxing Day. Defensive issues are a concern which the Seagulls will hope to exploit, but Spurs should have enough to return to winning ways.
body check tags ::
