New signee Xherdan Shaqiri hasn't played a lot of first-team soccer of late, but he'll make his Stoke City debut and could play a huge role on Saturday's crucial tilt at Tottenham.
ODDS ANALYSIS
Take the names off of the fronts of the jerseys, and we're not all that sure how these teams are that different. We suppose that Harry Kane is a really great striker, but the rest of the team around him screams mid-table to us.
That's why it's a bit of a shock that Stoke City is such a tremendous underdog of +0.5 and +113 vig on the Asian Handicap as well as +385 on the moneyline.
The total is set at a flat 2.5, the perfect middling number by BPL standards.
KEY INJURIES
Tottenham still has three key cogs out of the lineup at this point, and it is unknown whether any of the three will be back in time for this match. Roberto Soldado seems the most likely to return from his back injury, but both Andros Townsend and Danny Rose are up in the air as well.
Stoke City badly needs Shaqiri to get some more life infused into its game. Without Ryan Shawcross, who won't return until at least October, the Potters are going to have a tough go of it just to stay above the relegation line.
Marko Arnautovic and Marc Wilson are both still not playing for Stoke City, too.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"We're still missing players in key positions… Being active in the transfer market is key in the coming weeks. We must do better." – Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino after a disappointing loss to Manchester United to start the season
RECENT FORM
It's never a good sign when your official Twitter page gets matters this wrong. The Spurs' tweeted out that Kyle Walker scored to put Tottenham up 1-0 against Manchester United. Walker scored, alright. There was just one problem, though. He scored into his own net.
That was all the forward-thinking Red Devils needed to keep Tottenham at arm's length the rest of the way.
Stoke City is also still waiting to get off to mark after losing at home against Liverpool last weekend. Still, for our money, the Potters had the better chances for much of the game against a team which is competing for a spot in European soccer in 2016-17, and that's a solid statement for a team just hoping to stick around in the middle of the BPL table this year.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Don't discount the addition of Shaqiri for this match. The Swiss star should be eager to get into the lineup for Stoke and start playing immediately, and his level of intensity could make things very uncomfortable for a sometimes shaky back line for the Spurs.
Harry Kane badly needs a running mate up front, but Pochettino doesn't have one for him which he is pulling out of his cap. We know that the British star can do this all on his own, but he almost looked disinterested against Man U. Maybe coming back home can do wonders for him.
Still, this is a match Stoke can get, not just a result, but a win as well in. We'll handicap out a drab draw, but know that Shaqiri can change this game in a hurry just with his presence and fiery attitude in favor of the Potters.
Tottenham 0, Stoke City 0
The Barclays Premier League lines for this contest were first released by BookMaker Sportsbook with Tottenham lined as a -133 moneyline favorite and a total of 2.5. Since this game can be seen by anyone with a TV, BookMaker will have a multitude of wagering options available for it. Outside of the normal lines, you can gamble on real-time moneylines, spreads and totals. Live betting is open during every step of this match!
Need to fund your account before the big game but don’t have your computer? No problem! BookMaker Sportsbook now offers a mobile betting cashier so you can deposit money directly from your smartphone. Don’t miss out on getting paid because you couldn’t bet. Click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The fixture between Tottenham and Stoke City is scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. ET at White Hart Lane. The match will be televised live on NBC Sports Live Extra.
