Swansea v Tottenham: Premier League match preview

A look ahead to this weekend's Premier League fixture at the Liberty Stadium

Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood gestures from the sidelines during his side's 2-0 defeat to Arsenal in the FA Cup third round (GETTY IMAGES)

Tottenham will be looking to continue their revival under Tim Sherwood in a bid to be amongst the top-four positions by the end of the season, while Swansea need to overturn a run of seven Premier League games without victory to avoid a relegation battle.

Despite a setback in the FA Cup defeat to Arsenal, Sherwood remains unbeaten in the league, winning four of his five games, including a 2-1 win at Old Trafford.

When these two sides met at the beginning of the season it was a cagey affair, which became a common feature of Tottenham games with Andre Villas-Boas in charge. Expect a considerably more open game due to Sherwood’s preference to play 4-4-2, with Roberto Soldado and Emmanuel Adebayor as his front pair.

Swansea will enjoy the majority of the ball as a result of Sherwood’s formation selection, coupled with the fact that they boast the best possession statistics in the division. They will continue to play their three in midfield, with Jonjo Shelvey given license to support Wilfried Bony in attack.

The Swans will need to start picking up points soon, as it will become even harder once their Europa League campaign re-launches in February. They will have to draw on inspiration from their FA Cup win at Old Trafford, as they have not tasted victory in the league since early December.

KICK-OFF: Sunday, 1.30pm

PAST THREE MEETINGS:

Tottenham 1 (Soldado) Swansea 0, Premier League, August 2013

Swansea 1 (Michu) Tottenham 2 (Vertonghen, Bale), Premier League, March 2013

Tottenham 1 (Vertonghen) Swansea 0, Premier League, December 2012

STATS:

Tottenham are on a four match winning streak against Swansea

Swansea have not beaten Tottenham in the league since 1982

The Swans have the highest average possession statistics in the Premier League- 59.7%

ODDS:

Swansea to win: 3.20

Tottenham to win: 2.38

Draw: 3.20

TV: Live on Sky Sports 1 at 1.30pm, Highlights on BBC1 at 10.25pm