Source: team_talk
Laudrup backs Spurs for top four
Swansea manager Michael Laudrup is backing Sunday's opponents Tottenham to secure a Champions League berth come the end of the season.
Swansea make the trip to White Hart Lane buoyed by their midweek Capital One Cup success over Middlesbrough, which put them into the last-four for the first time in their 100-year history.
Despite the 4-3 defeat to Norwich in their last Premier League outing, another win in north London to go with the recent win at Arsenal, would put Swansea above Spurs in the table.
But Laudrup is under no illusion as to how difficult a proposition Andre Villas-Boas' side will be, and has highlighted Jermain Defoe as a man the visitors will have to stop.
"It is a difficult game but at this moment Tottenham are my favourite to get that fourth place and Champions League football," he said.
"I don't know what will happen with the other clubs in January, but at the moment I see them just at the top of the second group.
"They did well last year. I don't think they've changed this year. They've lost some games but are doing well and have some very god players. I think they have a very strong team and obviously there are very important players.
"They have different types of forward players from Emmanuel Adebayor to Jermain Defoe, Clint Dempsey and Gylfi Sigurdsson. They have good midfielders as well and have a very strong team.
"Defoe for me is a top player in the league, he has good movement and he is very difficult to catch.
"He is another one like Luis Suarez. He is not standing there, he is going to the left and right, we all saw the goal he scored against West Ham. It was a fantastic goal."
Swansea have their own goalscoring talisman in the form of Michu.
The Spaniard has already racked up 12 Premier League goals since his summer move from Rayo Vallecano, and Spain manager Vicente del Bosque is set to come and watch the 26-year-old as he considers whether to add him to the national squad.
"I think it is great. He knows (Santi) Cazorla, (David) Silva and (Juan) Mata but there are other players doing well over here so I think it is normal for him to come and see one of the top scorers," said Laudrup.
"If he wants to see what he is doing and whether he would fit in, it is great for Michu."
Midfielder Jonathan de Guzman echoed his manager's note of caution regarding the abilities of their hosts on Sunday, but the Dutchman hopes Swansea's high confidence levels will allow them to take the game to Spurs.
He said: "We are confident as a team and we have made the semi-finals of the Cup.
"We know it's not going to be easy but knowing our qualities I think we can get a result there.
"We have put a good run of games together and we have shown what we are capable of.
"You cannot underestimate Tottenham, White Hart Lane is a difficult place to go and they have a great squad with individuals who can change a game.
"So we have to be aware of that and be solid defensively, but we also have to focus on our game."
