Tottenham Hotspur aim to extend their perfect start to UEFA Europa League play on Thursday when they travel to Galatasaray in one of Matchday 4's most high-profile matchups.
Ange Postecoglou's side are one of three teams with a perfect nine out of nine points so far, putting them in second place in the table. Galatasaray, though, are not far off – they have seven points out of nine and sit in fifth, making this matchup one of the more compelling games on the Europa League calendar as we reach the midway point of the league phase.
Here's what you need to know before tuning in.
How to watch and odds
- Date: Thursday, Nov. 7 | Time: 12:45 p.m. ET
- Location: Rams Park -- Istanbul, Turkey
- Live stream: Paramount+
- Odds: Galatasaray +120; Draw +270; Tottenham Hotspur +185
Storylines
Things have not been straightforward for Tottenham this season, but that inconsistency is not necessarily bad news. Spurs lead the Premier League in goals scored with 22 in 10 games and also lead the league in expected goals, most recently using that attacking might to dig themselves out of a hole by beating Aston Villa 4-1 on Sunday. That success has translated to their Europa League campaign, where they have scored six goals in three games.
The thing to keep an eye on for Spurs, though, is their defense. Though it has not cost them much in the Europa League, where they have conceded just once so far, their 11 goals against in 10 Premier League games jump out. They sometimes concede through individual errors in games where they have not been able to translate their attacking dominance into sizable leads, which lands them in seventh place in Premier League play with five wins and four losses. It's an especially relevant weakness considering Galatasaray have nine goals in their opening three Europa League games.
Spurs will likely rely on a mix of experience and youth in Turkey, with manager Ange Postecoglou carefully managing his players' minutes in a more congested season than last year's. Captain Son Heung-min only played 60 minutes against Villa, his first game after dealing with a short-term thigh injury. Midfielder James Maddison also came off the bench against Villa and could be one of the most notable players in the lineup against Galatasaray. Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Richarlison and Timo Werner, though, will be unavailable through injury.
Projected lineup
Forster, Porro, Davies, Dragusin, Udogie, Bissouma, Sarr, Kulusevski, Johnson, Solanke, Son
Prediction
Each team's goalscoring prowess could make this an entertaining game, but Galatasaray will be one of the tougher away trips Spurs will face in the league phase. Expect the pair to cancel each other out but add another meaningful point to their Europa League tallies. Pick: Galatasaray 1, Tottenham Hotspur 1
