Richarlison is expected to lead Tottenham Hotspur’s attack as they take on AZ Alkmaar at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in their upcoming Europa League fixture.
Ange Postecoglou’s side has been in solid form, with six wins in their last seven games across all competitions, including a convincing 3-0 victory over Quarabag, despite playing most of the match with ten men following Radu Dragusin’s early dismissal.
Postecoglou’s tenure at Tottenham has been a point of contention among fans, with some doubting whether the Australian manager has the tactical acumen to lead Spurs to long-term success in the Premier League.
Criticisms reached a peak when Spurs threw away a two-goal lead against Brighton to lose 3-2, raising concerns about Postecoglou’s in-game management.
However, those doubts were significantly quieted after his masterful substitution in the 4-1 derby win over West Ham, where replacing James Maddison with Pape Sarr turned the tide, leading to three goals in seven minutes.
Spurs have been dominant in most of their recent matches, controlling six of their last eight halves of football. Their only blemish was the shock loss to Brighton, while they shared the opening 45 minutes with West Ham before pulling away convincingly.
This resurgence has made them a team to watch, especially with exciting prospects like Mikey Moore, Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, and Will Lankshear waiting for their chance to shine.
Their much-maligned defense has come under scrutiny, conceding eight goals in eight league games—identical to Arsenal, who are considered to have a stronger backline. Yet, Tottenham’s collective performance has still propelled them into a strong position, both in the Premier League and Europe.
Richarlison, now fully fit, is tipped to start against AZ Alkmaar, and the Brazilian striker is 9/2 to score the first goal and 13/10 to score at any time, according to Paddy Power and Betfair. Tottenham are favorites to win by more than one goal, with odds of 6/5 offered by Unibet and BetUK.
Elsewhere in European football, Manchester United’s improved performance in their 2-1 victory over Brentford has made them favorites to beat Fenerbahce, with odds of 7/5.
Marcus Rashford is priced at 13/5 to score in that match, while Chelsea, who boast depth in their squad, are tipped to lead both halves in their encounter against Panathinaikos, also at 7/5.
As Tottenham continues to build momentum under Postecoglou, their clash against AZ Alkmaar offers an opportunity to further solidify their place in the Europa League, with Richarlison ready to lead the charge.