EPL Preview: Sunderland versus Tottenham Hotspur
Sunderland
After parting ways with http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Asamoah-Gyan-c6791 to get the goals for Bent.
The Black cats have only won a single match out of their last five competitive fixtures. Sunderland now must forwards and onwards to a Europa League spot.
Currently, 7th in the English Premier League table, Sunderland have amassed 37 points from 26 matches thus far in the Premier League season. In their last Premier League encounter, Sunderland fell short of a victory as Stoke City came from behind
to achieve a significant 3-2 win over Steve Bruce’s side.
The best thing about Sunderland’s season thus far is their home record.
At the Stadium of Light, Sunderland has only lost two matches so far in the 2010-2011 Premier League season.
Tottenham will find it hard to break down Sunderland’s resolute defence just as Manchester United did earlier on in the season.
Tottenham Hotspur
On the other hand, Tottenham Hotspur are currently 5th in the English Premier League table after gathering 44 points from 25 matches. Spurs find themselves caught between a rock and a hard place as Harry Redknapp’s focus will be on their UEFA
Champions League knockout fixture in mid-week against A.C. Milan.
Therefore, one can expect the Englishman to rest some of his key stars before the encounter to save them for the European Cup knockout tie.
Tottenham have won only two out of their last five competitive fixtures in the English Premier League and with http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Liverpool-c39809 breathing down their necks in the race for the fourth placed spot. Spurs will be hoping to cope up with the pressure.
However, Harry Redknapp’s plans have been thrown into chaos due to injuries in previous matches to http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Gareth-Bale-c14422.
Team news
Tottenham will be without Gareth Bale due to a back injury and Luka Modric due to an appendix injury for their tie against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
Rafael Van Der Vaart will also miss the tie against Sunderland due to a calf strain, thus Tottenham face problems in the centre of the park. Spurs will also be without the services of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Younes-Kaboul-c37543 due to their respective fitness
issues.
Expected Tottenham line-up: Gomes, Hutton, Gallas, Dawson, Palacios, Jenas, Lennon, Pienaar, Pavlyuchenko, Defoe, Sandro
In contrast, Sunderland are scheduled to hold a late fitness test on http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Jordan-c2929 Henderson’s hamstring injury on Saturday morning. However, the Englishman’s inclusion in Steve Bruce’s line-up is improbable to say the least.
Additionally, Sunderland will be without http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Danny-c10193 Wellbeck due to their back and knee injuries respectively.
Expected line-up: Gordon, Onuoha, Bardsley, Richardson, Ferdinand, Bramble, Mensah Henderson, Malbranque, Gyan
Key players
Tottenham
The player to watch out for on the Tottenham side is going to be http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/England-c749 international, Jermaine Defoe. The forward has not been in-sync with the rest of the squad so far this season, but it seems like now may be the time for the twenty-eight year old England
international to prove his worth.
Sunderland
Sunderland will be turning to their prolific goal scoring machine, Asamoah Gyan to be the difference between the two sides.
With Darren Bent no longer amongst the Black Cats, a lot pressure has been put on the shoulders of the Ghanaian international, but with the form and class he has shown so far this season, he is sure to deliver.
Prediction
The match is set to be a thrilling encounter between both sides.
However, with the upcoming pressure of the Champions League over Tottenham’s shoulder, the match is more than likely to end with Sunderland edging past their opponents by two goals to one.
Final score: Sunderland to win 2-1.
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