Gameweek 36 of the 2025/26 Premier League season will continue on Monday before we get to the crucial Double Gameweek clash. Tottenham Hotspur vs Leeds United will be the only match on the night, with both teams eager to continue the momentum they have built in recent weeks.
Roberto De Zerbi has finally had the desired effects on his squad, with Tottenham Hotspur coming into Monday’s match on the back of a two-match winning run. While the 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers eased the nerves, the hard-fought 2-1 victory over Aston Villa would have restored some belief in the camp.
However, the Lilywhites are not out of the woods yet, as they are only one point ahead of 18th-placed West Ham United coming into Gameweek 36. Fortunately for Tottenham, they will know all the equations in the battle for safety, as West Ham United will face Arsenal on Sunday. A defeat for the East London outfit will take De Zerbi’s charges a step closer to safety.
On the other hand, Leeds United can soon rest easy and start planning for the summer transfer window as a Premier League club. While the Whites are not mathematically secure, it will be surprising to see West Ham bridge the seven-point gap to the 14th-placed team without toppling one of the three other teams below the West Yorkshire outfit.
A six-match unbeaten run in the Premier League has helped Leeds United get some breathing room over the relegation contenders. While the 1-0 defeat to Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final was disappointing, Daniel Farke will be satisfied with his team’s performance this term.
The reverse fixture saw Tottenham eke out a narrow 2-1 win over Leeds United, with Mohammed Kudus scoring the match-winning goal closer to the hour mark. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Roberto De Zerbi has no new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Tottenham Hotspur head coach will be bereft of the services of eight first-team players vs Leeds United on Monday.
De Zerbi had been sweating over the fitness of Rodrigo Bentancur and Richarlison after they sustained knocks in the 2-1 win over Aston Villa last weekend. However, the South American duo will be fit and available to take on Leeds United.
The same cannot be said about Guglielmo Vicario (hernia) and Dominic Solanke (hamstring), as the game comes too soon for them. Additionally, Cristian Romero (knee), Ben Davies (ankle), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), Mohammed Kudus (thigh), Wilson Odobert (knee), and Xavi Simons (knee) remain in the treatment room.
Antonin Kinsky will continue to deputise for Vicario between the sticks, with Tottenham Hotspur lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Leeds United on Monday. The backline will feature Pedro Porro, Kevin Danso, Micky van de Ven, and Destiny Udogie.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha in the double pivot, with Conor Gallagher reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Richarlison will lead the line for Tottenham against Leeds United, with Mathys Tel and Randal Kolo Muani being the two wide attackers.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Kinsky; Porro, Danso, van de Ven, Udogie; Bentancur, Palhinha; Kolo Muani, Gallagher, Tel; Richarlison
Unlike his counterpart in the Tottenham Hotspur dugout, Daniel Farke has a new injury concern to worry about ahead of the trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Leeds United manager may be without four first-team players on Monday.
Noah Okafor is the latest absentee after sustaining a calf injury that will keep him on the sidelines for the next two games. The Swiss international has joined Gabriel Gudmundsson (hamstring) and Ilia Gruev (knee) in the treatment room. However, Pascal Struijk should be fit and available to take on Tottenham, even though Farke has been sweating over his fitness.
Karl Darlow is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Leeds United lining up in a 3-5-2 formation in front of him vs Tottenham Hotspur on Monday. The central defensive unit will feature Jaka Bijol, Pascal Struijk, and Joe Rodon. Meanwhile, Jayden Bogle and James Justin will start as the two wing-backs.
The wide duo will provide width in the final third and protect the three centre-backs. As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Anton Stach, Ao Tanaka, and Ethan Ampadu, with the trio aiming to keep things tight in the middle of the park and provide the forward thrust from the central areas. Finally, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha will start as the two strikers for the away side.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Darlow; Bijol, Struijk, Rodon; Bogle, Stach, Tanaka, Ampadu, Justin; Nmecha, Calvert-Lewin
While Conor Gallagher, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Anton Stach were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Richarlison as the Player to Watch for Monday’s Premier League clash between Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Across the last three seasons, Richarlison has scored or assisted on average every 109 minutes in the Premier League (25 goals, 9 assists). Among players with 3,000 or more minutes in that time, only Mohamed Salah (goal/assist every 91 mins), Erling Haaland (91), and Alexander Isak (102) have done so at a more frequent rate. With the Brazilian being a rare bright spot for Tottenham this season, he will be the go-to player in the final third for Roberto De Zerbi.
Tottenham may be on a two-game winning run and showing discernible progress under Roberto De Zerbi, but they will face one of the most in-form teams in the Premier League. While the Whites are riding a wave of confidence in their bid to avoid relegation, the home side’s dreadful record at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will also be a factor on Monday.
No team has manager fewer home Premier League points this season than Tottenham Hotspur (11), with the North London club losing ten home games for a second consecutive season. Only in 1991/92 did they lose more home league games in a season (11). While aiming to avoid equalling that unenviable record, the hosts will focus on hitting Leeds United on the break.
Meanwhile, Noah Okafor’s absence may prove costly for Leeds United, as the away side will lack the spark in the final third to relentlessly trouble Tottenham’s vulnerable backline. However, Leeds United’s resilience should shine on Monday, earning another crucial point and safety. The Hard Tackle predicts a 1-1 draw.
