Tottenham Hotspur v Cardiff City. Match preview

Last updated : 28 February 2014 By Michael Morris

C:WindowsTempphp149F.tmpIf Hull City's 4 - 0 win at Cardiff City last week was a shock scoreline then a victory for The Bluebirds at White Hart Lane would surely be seen as a miracle.

And with only eleven games left it's miracles that Cardiff are starting to need if they are to survive in the Premier League.

City are just three points from 17th place but the tight group of teams that were within six points of Cardiff are starting to spread out. Anything from the Spurs game will be a bonus ahead of a relegation blockbuster at home to Fulham next week.

 

Early team news

Tottenham head coach Tim Sherwood has no fresh injury concerns ahead of his side's Barclays Premier League clash with strugglers Cardiff on Sunday.

Brazil midfielder Sandro is in line to make his first league appearance under Sherwood having started Thursday night's Europa League win over Dnipro following a calf injury while Kyle Walker may also feature having returned to training after recovering from a hip problem.

Vlad Chiriches and Erik Lamela (both back) remained sidelined while Jermain Defoe will now link up with Toronto FC.

Striker Craig Bellamy returns to the Cardiff squad after serving a three-match suspension.

Following the humiliating 4-0 home defeat to Hull last weekend, boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has vowed to make changes, and Bellamy is almost certain to be amongst them.

Gary Medel could return after a recent lay-off with a thigh injury, whilst fellow midfielder Jordon Mutch is available again following a hamstring problem.

 

The managers

Tim Sherwood

 "We are expecting a tough game against a team who are fighting for their lives.

"They've got some maverick players who on their day can win games."

 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (with Craig Bellamy)

 

Match Appointments

Referee: Phil Dowd. Assistants: S Bennett, S Burt. Fourth Official: R East

 

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

  • Spurs' 1-0 win against Cardiff in September was the first league meeting of the clubs in 35 years.
  • John Duncan's brace earned Spurs a 2-1 win against Cardiff the last time White Hart Lane staged this league fixture in January 1978. Paul Went netted Cardiff's consolation.
  • Cardiff have also twice lost at White Hart Lane in cup competitions since that time, in October 2002 and January 2007.

 

Tottenham Hotspur

  • Tim Sherwood's side have been beaten twice in their last six home matches - on both occasions they conceded five goals (W3, D1)
  • No top-half side has scored fewer home goals than Tottenham (15).
  • Only Chelsea have won more games (four) from losing positions than Spurs - who are level on three with Manchester United, Aston Villa and Fulham.
  • Emmanuel Adebayor has scored 11 goals in his last 14 appearances in all competitions. In the league, he has scored a goal every 124 minutes for Spurs this season.

 

Cardiff

  • Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side have won just one of their last 11 Premier League games.
  • Cardiff have lost their last six away matches in the league, and only Crystal Palace have scored fewer than their seven away goals this season.
  • The Bluebirds have failed to score in 15 league games this season, more often than any other team.
  • It is 310 minutes since the last Premier League goal for Cardiff, scored by Kenwyne Jones against Norwich.
  • They have conceded 18 of their 48 goals (38%) in the last 15 minutes of games.

 

Teams

Tottenham (from): Lloris, Friedel, Gomes, Walker, Naughton, Dawson, Vertonghen, Fryers, Veljkovic, Dembele, Capoue, Sandro, Lennon, Eriksen, Bentaleb, Paulinho, Chadli, Townsend, Sigurdsson, Adebayor, Soldado, Kane.

Cardiff (from): Marshall, Taylor, Caulker, Turner, Whittingham, Jones, Campbell, Kim, Smith, Eikrem, Noone, Gunnarsson, Mutch, Cowie, McNaughton, Theophile-Catherine, Daehli, Lewis, Berget, Fabio, Zaha, Cala, Medel, Bellamy.