Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur v Cardiff City match preview

A look ahead to this weekend's fixture at White Hart Lane

Tim Sherwood hopes the comeback victory against Dnipro will inspire the team (PA)

It's been yet another busy week for Tim Sherwood and Tottenham Hotspur. Their disappointing defeat at Carrow Road last Sunday, sandwiched between two Europa League matches against Dnipro, was their 40th game of the season. 7 days later, and they face Cardiff in their 42nd. In the Premier League, Spurs find themselves in 5th place, six points behind Liverpool and the Champions League, and five points ahead of Manchester United and mediocrity.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has not had the start he would have liked at Cardiff. He is, after all, well-versed in the routine of winning after 11 successful years at United. The Bluebirds are three points adrift of 17th placed West Brom and showed nothing in their previous game against Hull to suggest they will get close to surviving. They were trounced 4-0, and need to see significant improvement if they wish to avoid the drop.

A win at the weekend is not beyond them, though. Tottenham will be tired, and as Norwich showed last weekend, Spurs are beatable. Cardiff will be without Mark Hudson, who was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a hamstring injury, while Gary Medel and Jordon Mutch will both be in contention for a return. Craig Bellamy has missed three games through suspension, but will return for the game at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

Spurs will be without Vlad Chiriches (back), Gylfi Sigurdsson (hip) and Erik Lamela (back), all with long-term injuries, while Tim Sherwood could also rest a few names following their game on Thursday. Danny Rose and Kyle Walker have both had knocks, but should be fit for the visit of the Bluebirds.

KICK-OFF: Sunday, 4.30pm

PAST THREE MEETINGS:

Cardiff 0 Tottenham 1 (Paulinho), Premier League, September 2013

Tottenham 4 (Lennon, Keane, Malbranque, Defoe) Cardiff 0, FA Cup, January 2007

Cardiff 0 Tottenham 0, FA Cup, January 2007

STATS:

32% of Cardiff's goals have been scored from headers, higher than any other team in the Premier League this season.

Tottenham have only conceded one headed goal this season, fewer than any other team in the Premier League.

Former Spurs defender Steven Caulker has blocked more opposition shots than any other player in the Premier League this season (38).

Cardiff have yet to win or concede a penalty in the Premier League this season – the only side yet to do so.

ODDS:

Tottenham to win: 1.36

Cardiff to win: 13.5

Draw: 5.5

TV: Highlights on BBC1, Sunday 10.25pm