Spurs - Newcastle United vs. Tottenham Hotspur

By Lev
December 22 2006

Consecutive away league games see Tottenham take on Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon, after a good win for the London side against a Manchester City team who had previously not lost a league game at home

Newcastle United vs. Tottenham Hotspur – Saturday 23rd December 2006 – St. James’ Park – Kick Off: 3:00


Consecutive away league games see Tottenham take on Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon, after a good win for the London side against a Manchester City team who had previously not lost a league game at home.

Both teams face their third game in a week, although their fortunes were a little different in their subsequent games; Newcastle losing to another Didier Drogba stunner for Chelsea, while Spurs struggled through against a battling Southend United; Jermain Defoe with the winner in the 25th minute of extra time.

If home and away statistics for the two sides are anything to go by, this game should be an easy one to forecast. Newcastle have won their last three league home games and Spurs have only managed one away Premiership win all season, albeit this being as recent as last weekend. However, this game may not be at all predictable, with both sides probably feeling that it is a game they can pick up at least a point from.

Spurs should revert back to a similar starting line up that played at the City of Manchester Stadium. With Ledley King, Pascal Chimbonda and Dimitar Berbatov all rested against the Shrimpers on Wednesday, Spurs’ manager Martin Jol is likely to restore them to his first eleven. Didier Zokora returns from a ban and may well start alongside Tom Huddlestone in the Spurs engine room, while Hossam Ghaly is available after injury. At the back, Michael Dawson is likely to start with King after his one-match suspension last week, and Young-Pyo Lee may replace the inconsistent Benoit Assou-Ekotto. On the downside, Aaron Lennon still remains a doubt, with knee inflammation still troubling the wing wizard. Steed Malbranque and Jermain are more than likely to retain their places.

Newcastle will still be without injured fullback pair Steven Carr and Olivier Bernard, along with Shola Ameobi, Charles N’Zogbia and Titus Bramble. Damien Duff could shake off his injury to return to action, while Celestine Babayaro comes back into contention after suspension. Glenn Roeder will hope James Milner, Obafemi Martins and Nicky Butt continue their recent run of good form which has helped Newcastle climb out of the bottom three and appear within sight of mid-table.

For both sides, avoiding defeat here could set up a very festive Christmas indeed. With managers such as Rafael Benitez and Sam Allardyce complaining about the tally of four games in ten days, Jol and Roeder will pray against injuries to their sides. In fact, Roeder will probably cry if another one of his players hits the treatment table. However, let us hope that there is no apprehension in either team’s play and they give it their all, even with the busy schedule they have ahead of them.

A draw would not be a bad result for either team at all from where I stand and this could well be how the game ends up. However, if Spurs nick it, I won’t be too disappointed ;-).


COYS and have a very Merry Christmas

Simon Levinson