Harry Redknapp will turn his attention back to football after a week in court and strong rumours linking him to the now vacant England job as his Tottenham side host Newcastle United in the battle for Champions League qualification. Spurs sit pretty in 3rd place, seven points clear of Chelsea in 4th while Newcastle are a further point behind in 5th spot. Spurs were held to a drab goalless draw at Liverpool last time around while Newcastle edged out Aston Villa 2-1 at home.
The reverse fixture at the Sports Direct Arena in October ended 2-2, with Shola Ameobi scoring a late equalizer. It was only the 2nd stalemate between the two sides in over a decade in a fixture that has favoured the Magpies, who have emerged victorious in six of the last ten meetings. Goals are never in short supply in this fixture, with every game since 2001 producing at least one.
Tottenham
Redknapp’s distractions have finally come to an end as the Tottenham manager has endured a rough two weeks, even missing the trip to Liverpool due to his court case (and the weather conspiring against him). The minute his legal ordeal ended, rumours began to fly about his future at Tottenham after Fabio Capello resigned as England manager under dramatic circumstances. But Redknapp has reiterated that his primary focus is Spurs and that he will not leave the club’s season hanging in the balance by jumping ship.
The 0-0 draw against Liverpool was one of the few times this season that Spurs looked bereft of ideas up front in what was an ordinary game on the whole. The only positive for Spurs was that they ended a three game run without a clean sheet. The lack of pace in their strike force is a concern as none among Emmanuel Adebayor, Jermain Defoe and Louis Saha have searing pace. They lack a forward who can run the channels and they have to instead depend on Gareth Bale to make central runs. Saha’s presence will be a bonus for Spurs as the former Manchester United striker can be a potent threat, if and when he is fit. He is great at holding the ball and bringing other attackers into the game, something Spurs have lacked since the departure of Robbie Keane.
Tottenham’s long injury list refuses to show signs of easing as close to seven first team regulars are out injured. Rafael van der Vaart and Younes Kaboul are the closest to making a recovery while Defoe and Aaron Lennon are still a week from making a full recovery from their hamstring injuries.
Newcastle United
The Magpies have defied all the critics by continuing to pick up points week-in week-out. They had a lean spell in December, winning just one of their six games. But they have won four of their five Premier League fixtures since the turn of the year and but for their FA Cup exit at the hands of Brighton, it has been an exciting 2012 on Tyneside. The victory over Aston Villa last week marked the return of Demba Ba from the African Cup of Nations and the Senegalese goal machine got back into his groove immediately as he took his season’s tally to 16 goals.
Fans also got a glimpse of another Senegalese striker during the game as Papiss Demba Cisse scored a screamer on his debut to announce his arrival as the new Number 9. The lanky striker, who joined Newcastle in January for £9.5m, scored the winner in the 2nd half after Villa had equalized late in the first half. The Senegalese duo will be expected to build a partnership over the rest season and they should get a lot of game time after Leon Best picked up a knee injury in the game against Villa. Ryan Taylor also limped off with an injury during the game as Newcastle’s midfield absentees mount. Yohan Cabaye has one game left in his three-match suspension while Cheik Tiote is still at the African Cup of Nations.
Head-to-Head:
16th Oct, 2011: Newcastle 2-2 Tottenham
22nd Jan, 2011: Newcastle 1-1 Tottenham
Form Guide:
Tottenham (DWWLD):
6th February, 2012: Liverpool 0-0 Tottenham
31st January, 2012: Tottenham 3-1 Wigan
27th January, 2012: Watford 0-1 Tottenham (FA Cup)
22nd January, 2012: Manchester City 3-2 Tottenham
14th January, 2012: Tottenham 1-1 Wolves
Newcastle (WWLLW):
5th February, 2012: Newcastle 2-1 Aston Villa
1st February, 2012: Blackburn 0-2 Newcastle
28th January, 2012: Brighton 1-0 Newcastle (FA Cup)
21st January, 2012: Fulham 5-2 Newcastle
15th January, 2012: Newcastle 1-0 QPR
Probable Line-Ups:
Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Friedel (Gk), Walker, Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto, Parker, Livermore, Modric, Kranjcar, Bale, Adebayor
If Van der Vaart fails to make it to the starting line-up, Luka Modric is expected to play higher up the pitch while Jake Livermore and Scott Parker sit deep in midfield. Bale and Niko Kranjcar will start in the wide positions in support of Adebayor. Kyle Walker has been impressive at right-back all season and he should continue there while Benoit Assou-Ekotto starts on the left. Kaboul’s fitness will dictate whether Michael Dawson continues to partner Ledley King in central defence and if the Frenchman does return to fitness, he should be drafted straight into the starting eleven.
Newcastle (4-4-2): Krul (Gk), Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon, Obertan, Perch, Guthrie, Gutierrez, Cisse, Ba
Tim Krul has been one of the better keepers in the Premier League this season and he will be an important presence in goal ahead of a back four expected to comprise of Danny Simpson, Michael Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini and Davide Santon. Danny Guthrie has been the engine room in the absence of Tiote and will continue in central midfield alongside James Perch. Jonas Gutierrez will be the gigantic presence on the left while Hatem Ben Arfa and Gabriel Obertan fight for the spot on the right wing. Up front, it will be the Demba duo as Ba and Cisse pair up.
Prediction: Newcastle last won at White Hart Lane in 2008 and with Spurs losing only one their last 29 Premier League games at home, the team in white will start as favourites. But the Magpies do possess a goal threat and whoever wins the midfield battle will take the spoils.
Predicted Score: Tottenham 1-1 Newcastle
(TheSportsCampus)
