Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur
Follow every kick as Aston Villa take on Tottenham Hotspur at Villa Park in the Premier League
on 28-Nov-2009, kick off time 17:30
Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur Live
Tottenham travel to Birmingham on Saturday knowing that Aston Villa are
at least likely to offer greater resistance to their attacking intents
than Wigan Athletic, the side that suffered a 9-1 thrashing at the
hands of Jermain Defoe and co on Sunday.
Indeed Villa, along with Spurs and Manchester City, represent the
hunting pack, with a rare place in next year's Champions League looking
like an increasingly probable target thanks to Liverpool's collapse.
Nevertheless Martin O'Neill's side will be aware that confidence can
barely be higher in the Spurs ranks after a performance last weekend
that ranks as one of the greatest in the history of the Premier League.
Spurs boss Harry Redknapp was in no mood to play down his side's
efforts after the match, declaring to Sky Sports: "The whole team,
everybody worked and played well and for Jermain to go and get five
goals was a real outstanding performance."
Not that Redknapp has had it all his way this week, with two of his
players being linked with moves away in January. Striker Roman
Pavlyuchenko has continued his campaign for first-team football by
talking to AS Roma, while Vedran Corluka has been linked with Juventus.
The former Portsmouth manager has also been weighing up his goalkeeping
options after learning that Carlo Cudicini will be out for the season
as a result of the injuries he suffered in a motorcycle accident
earlier in the month.
With untried veteran Jimmy Walker the only other senior option at the
club, Redknapp could well make a temporary signing in January, while in
the meantime praying that number one Heurelho Gomes stays fit.
The Brazilian keeper could be part of an unchanged team, although
Sebastien Bassong and Giovani Dos Santos should both now be fit enough
to start should Redknapp wish to shake things up.
Villa, three points and one place behind Spurs in the table, could
start with Stewart Downing for the first time after the winger made a
20-minute debut in the 1-1 draw with Burnley last weekend.
Source: DSG