Premier League preview: Tottenham v Wolves
Harry Redknapp will be hoping his Tottenham side avoid a Champions League hangover against Wolves on Saturday.
The Spurs manager was left agitated after witnessing his side surrender a 2-0 lead against Werder Bremen in Germany on Tuesday night, and will now expect his players to return to winning ways with a home victory over Mick McCarthy’s side.
The North London club have yet to record a league victory at White Hart Lane this season and suffered a surprise defeat against Wigan Athletic in their last match at home. In fact, Spurs have only recorded one win this season - against Stoke City last month.
Wolves go into this fixture two places above Tottenham in the Premier League table, but are yet to pick up their first win on the road. Although the odds will be firmly stacked against them, Wolves boast a well-organised group of players with the ability to pose Spurs one or two problems.
Also on Saturday afternoon, Birmingham City could go temporarily third in the league table with a win over West Brom at the Hawthorns.
Alex McLeish’s side are unbeaten away from St Andrew’s this season – drawing both matches – but currently lie in fifth place following a win and last week’s 0-0 draw against Liverpool.
For supporters of the Baggies there are reasons to be cautiously optimistic. Their home ground has proved somewhat of a fortress at the beginning of the new campaign and, rather oddly, Roberto Di Matteo’s side are currently outside of the bottom three.
Famed for their inability to remain in the top-flight for more than a season at a time, a morale-boosting victory against the Blues this weekend would certainly help their cause.
Meanwhile, Blackburn will be hoping manager Sam Allardyce’s come-and-get-me-plea to European giants Real Madrid and Inter Milan doesn’t come to fruition. Or, at least until after they’ve faced Fulham at Ewood Park.
Rovers have started the season in unspectacular fashion and currently languish in 15th position, while the Cottagers could move up to third place if they win this weekend and other results go their way.
Mark Hughes saw his side beat Wolves in the club’s last Premier League encounter, and will now be looking for his players to record their first away win of the campaign with a victory in Lancashire.
Everton v Newcastle is also a particularly tasty looking fixture this Saturday afternoon. The Toffees stunned Manchester United last weekend by scoring two last-gasp goals to peg the Red Devils back to 3-3.
Manager David Moyes was left delighted with the character shown by his players. The Scot will now believe his side can beat the Magpies this weekend - particularly after their opponent’s 2-0 home defeat against Blackpool.
Prodigious French talent Hatem Ben Arfa could make his Newcastle debut after joining on loan from Marseille in the transfer window, and he’s one player who possesses the technical capability to hurt Everton.
Saturday afternoon will also be Kevin MacDonald’s final match in charge of Aston Villa before Gerard Houllier takes control of first-team duties. The caretaker manager has experienced a mixed, brief tenure in charge at Villa Park, but will aim to leave on a high-note with a victory against 12th place Bolton.
Stephen Ireland and John Carew are both fit again for the Villains, while Bolton’s talismanic forward Kevin Davies is a doubt after sustaining concussion against Arsenal.
There’s an additional treat on Sunday as Manchester City take on Wigan at the DW Stadium. Roberto Mancini saw his players beat Red Bull Salzburg in the Europa League on Thursday night and should be confident they can seal a comfortable three points against the Latics.
Wigan though, have picked themselves up after conceding 10 goals in their first two league matches. An impressive away win against Spurs and a 1-1 draw with Sunderland seemed to suggest that Roberto Martinez’s men have turned the corner.
But they’ll need to be at their best to avoid a hammering by City’s all-star team.
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