Premier League: Tottenham v Newcastle United match preview

A look ahead to this weekend’s Premier League fixture at White Hart Lane

Andre Villas-Boas (GETTY IMAGES)

Andre Villas-Boas may have to recall striker Emmanuel Adebayor straight into the starting line-up for Saturday’s tie with Newcastle, as Tottenham were rocked with the news that Jermaine Defoe will be out of action for up to three weeks. Adebayor returns to the club following Togo’s quarter-final exit from the African Cup of Nations at the hands of Burkina Faso.

Tottenham go into the game having secured a 1-0 victory at The Hawthorns, with Gareth Bale coming up with the crucial goal as Spurs continued their quest for a top four position. Bale starred in a man-of-the-match performance for Wales on Wednesday night, getting on the score-sheet before setting up Sam Vokes’ winner in a 2-1 victory over Austria.

Meanwhile, Newcastle head to White Hart Lane coming off an emphatic victory against Chelsea, where new signings Moussa Sissoko and Yoan Gouffran  showed why manager Alan Pardew was desperate to sign the French pair – Sissoko’s double giving Toon fans the belief that their current 15th place in the league will be short-lived.

KICK-OFF: Saturday, 12.45pm

PAST MEETINGS...

Newcastle 2 (Ba, Ben Arfa) Tottenham 1 (Defoe), Premier League, August 2012

Tottenham 5 (Assou-Ekotto, Saha 2, Kranjcar, Adebayor) Newcastle 0, Premier League, February 2012

Newcastle 2 (Ba, Ameobi) Tottenham 2 (van der Vaart, Defoe), Premier League, October 2011

STATS...

Tottenham are unbeaten in their last 10 league games.

Emmanuel Adebayor was Spurs' top scorer last season with 18 goals in all competitions.

Papiss Cisse has just 5 league goals this season and has never scored against Tottenham.

Newcastle have not beaten Spurs at White Hart Lane since March 2008.

Both teams are without their top scorers this season – Defoe (13 goals) is injured, Ba (14 goals) has left.

ODDS..

Tottenham to win: 1.7

Newcastle to win: 5.7

Draw: 4.1

TV: Live on Sky Sports 2 at 12.45pm, highlights on BBC1 at 10.20pm.