Thmsdonaghy
18-10-2008, 01:42 PM
Venue: Britannia Stadium Date: Sunday, 19 October Kick-off: 1600 BST
Coverage: Full commentary on BBC Radio Stoke 94.6FM and DAB, BBC London 94.9 FM, DAB and online, BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live, & highlights on Match of the Day 2
Stoke striker Ricardo Fuller is unlikely to start, having played in two games for Jamaica in the past week.
Mamady Sidibe is expected to replace him, while defender Abdoulaye Faye faces a fitness test on a groin problem and may be replaced by Ibrahima Sonko.
Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko partially tore ankle ligaments two weeks ago but faces a late check to see if he can return earlier than expected.
Club captain Ledley King has overcome a knee injury and declared himself fit.
Stoke (from): Sorensen, Griffin, Sonko, Cort, Abdoulaye Faye, Higginbotham, Tonge, Diao, Olofinjana, Amdy Faye, Delap, Kitson, Sidibe, Fuller, Cresswell, Simonsen, Whelan, Shawcross, Soares, Wilkinson.
Stoke City manager Tony Pulis:
"We'll respect them, they've got some fantastic players.
"I saw them playing down at Portsmouth and they were unfortunate to get beaten there.
"Their manager is having a difficult time and it's up to the board to stand up now and back him.
"He's had a trouble replacing Berbatov and Keane, but I'm manager of stoke not Tottenham so I'm not concerned about what they're thinking or doing. I'm more concerned about my team."
Tottenham boss Juande Ramos:
"To win matches you need to play football. Fighting is difficult because they [Stoke] are a very strong team. I think we need to play.
"We have to show that we are worthy to stay up, but if we are not winning games it doesn't count for anything. We need to win matches.
"We are very good in defence, in midfield very good but we need to improve and score goals."
BIG-MATCH FACTS
The Premier League's cellar dwellers lock horns in the Potteries.
Winless Spurs, on the joint worst ever start to a league season in their history, pay their first visit to the Britannia Stadium for Stoke's 2,000th top-flight match.
Between them Stoke (Football League founder members) and Spurs (Premier League ever-presents) have lost 10 matches and won just one this season, dropping a collective 36 points.
This is Tottenham's 35th Premier League match under Juande Ramos. They have only won 10 in his tenure.
Tony Pulis selects a side for his 600th league match as a manager, and 100th league game since his return to Stoke in June 2006.
Spurs recorded their joint biggest away win in top-flight football when defeating Stoke 1-6 at the Victoria Ground on 15 September 1951.
Distance between the clubs: 161 miles (257 kilometres)
CLUB FORM
STOKE CITY
Going into the weekend: 19th 4 points
(all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premier League fixtures)
1. Not won in five Premier League games; claimed just one of the last available 15 points.
2. Won just one of their last 17 top-flight matches, losing 15 of them.
3. Not conceded in the Premier League earlier than the 25th minute.
4. Only their second Premier League fixture against a London club; lost the first 0-2 to Chelsea in their last home game on 27 September.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Going into the weekend: 20th 2 points
(all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premier League fixtures)
1. Playing the second of back-to-back fixtures against promoted clubs; already lost 0-1, home to Hull on 5 October.
2. Picked up just two points from their opening seven games, matching their return from the start of the 1912-13 season.
3. On that occasion, 96 years ago, it took 13 games to register a first victory. They lost nine games and drew three of their opening 12, until they beat Newcastle 1-0 at home on 23 November 1912.
4. Derby, who were relegated with a Premier League record low points total of 11, had four points by this stage last season; twice as many as Tottenham have.
5. Not won in eight league matches; drawn two and lost six since beating Reading 0-1 at the Madejski Stadium on 3 May 2008.
6. The victory at Reading is their only maximum in eight away league games.
7. Won one of the last six Premier League matches against Midlands' clubs; 0-3 away to Derby on 9 February 2008.
8. Scored only four league goals this term, and none earlier than Darren Bent's in the 45th minute, home to Aston Villa on 15 September.
9. Won five of 25 Premier League matches in 2008.
10. This match precedes a Uefa Cup group game, against Udinese in Italy on Thursday.
KEY PLAYER NOTES
STOKE CITY
Andy GRIFFIN and Seyi OLOFINJANA are the only remaining players to have been on the field for every minute of every one of Stoke's Premier League matches.
If selected:-
Danny HIGGINBOTHAM and Carl DICKINSON will be making their 50th league appearances in Stoke colours.
Danny PUGH will be playing on his 26th birthday.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
GOMES and Jonathan WOODGATE are the only remaining players to have been on the field for every minute of every one of Tottenham's Premier League matches this season.
If selected:-
Ledley KING will be making his 200th Premier League appearance - all in Tottenham colours.
Paul STALTERI will be playing the day after his 31st birthday.
HEAD TO HEAD
Tottenham did the double over Stoke when they last met in the 1984-85 season in the old First Division.
The Londoners are hoping to beat the Potters for the fourth successive time in league football.
Stoke have not beaten Spurs since a 2-0 home victory on 11 December 1982; Dave Watson and Sammy McIlroy were their scorers.
Home and away
League (inc PL): Stoke 16 wins, Spurs 35, Draws 15
Prem: Stoke 0 wins, Spurs 0, Draws 0
at Stoke only
League (inc PL): Stoke 15 wins, Spurs 9, Draws 9
Prem: Stoke 0 wins, Spurs 0, Draws 0
REFEREE
Lee Mason (Lancashire) <!-- S ILIN -->
Coverage: Full commentary on BBC Radio Stoke 94.6FM and DAB, BBC London 94.9 FM, DAB and online, BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live, & highlights on Match of the Day 2
Stoke striker Ricardo Fuller is unlikely to start, having played in two games for Jamaica in the past week.
Mamady Sidibe is expected to replace him, while defender Abdoulaye Faye faces a fitness test on a groin problem and may be replaced by Ibrahima Sonko.
Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko partially tore ankle ligaments two weeks ago but faces a late check to see if he can return earlier than expected.
Club captain Ledley King has overcome a knee injury and declared himself fit.
Stoke (from): Sorensen, Griffin, Sonko, Cort, Abdoulaye Faye, Higginbotham, Tonge, Diao, Olofinjana, Amdy Faye, Delap, Kitson, Sidibe, Fuller, Cresswell, Simonsen, Whelan, Shawcross, Soares, Wilkinson.
Stoke City manager Tony Pulis:
"We'll respect them, they've got some fantastic players.
"I saw them playing down at Portsmouth and they were unfortunate to get beaten there.
"Their manager is having a difficult time and it's up to the board to stand up now and back him.
"He's had a trouble replacing Berbatov and Keane, but I'm manager of stoke not Tottenham so I'm not concerned about what they're thinking or doing. I'm more concerned about my team."
Tottenham boss Juande Ramos:
"To win matches you need to play football. Fighting is difficult because they [Stoke] are a very strong team. I think we need to play.
"We have to show that we are worthy to stay up, but if we are not winning games it doesn't count for anything. We need to win matches.
"We are very good in defence, in midfield very good but we need to improve and score goals."
BIG-MATCH FACTS
The Premier League's cellar dwellers lock horns in the Potteries.
Winless Spurs, on the joint worst ever start to a league season in their history, pay their first visit to the Britannia Stadium for Stoke's 2,000th top-flight match.
Between them Stoke (Football League founder members) and Spurs (Premier League ever-presents) have lost 10 matches and won just one this season, dropping a collective 36 points.
This is Tottenham's 35th Premier League match under Juande Ramos. They have only won 10 in his tenure.
Tony Pulis selects a side for his 600th league match as a manager, and 100th league game since his return to Stoke in June 2006.
Spurs recorded their joint biggest away win in top-flight football when defeating Stoke 1-6 at the Victoria Ground on 15 September 1951.
Distance between the clubs: 161 miles (257 kilometres)
CLUB FORM
STOKE CITY
Going into the weekend: 19th 4 points
(all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premier League fixtures)
1. Not won in five Premier League games; claimed just one of the last available 15 points.
2. Won just one of their last 17 top-flight matches, losing 15 of them.
3. Not conceded in the Premier League earlier than the 25th minute.
4. Only their second Premier League fixture against a London club; lost the first 0-2 to Chelsea in their last home game on 27 September.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Going into the weekend: 20th 2 points
(all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premier League fixtures)
1. Playing the second of back-to-back fixtures against promoted clubs; already lost 0-1, home to Hull on 5 October.
2. Picked up just two points from their opening seven games, matching their return from the start of the 1912-13 season.
3. On that occasion, 96 years ago, it took 13 games to register a first victory. They lost nine games and drew three of their opening 12, until they beat Newcastle 1-0 at home on 23 November 1912.
4. Derby, who were relegated with a Premier League record low points total of 11, had four points by this stage last season; twice as many as Tottenham have.
5. Not won in eight league matches; drawn two and lost six since beating Reading 0-1 at the Madejski Stadium on 3 May 2008.
6. The victory at Reading is their only maximum in eight away league games.
7. Won one of the last six Premier League matches against Midlands' clubs; 0-3 away to Derby on 9 February 2008.
8. Scored only four league goals this term, and none earlier than Darren Bent's in the 45th minute, home to Aston Villa on 15 September.
9. Won five of 25 Premier League matches in 2008.
10. This match precedes a Uefa Cup group game, against Udinese in Italy on Thursday.
KEY PLAYER NOTES
STOKE CITY
Andy GRIFFIN and Seyi OLOFINJANA are the only remaining players to have been on the field for every minute of every one of Stoke's Premier League matches.
If selected:-
Danny HIGGINBOTHAM and Carl DICKINSON will be making their 50th league appearances in Stoke colours.
Danny PUGH will be playing on his 26th birthday.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
GOMES and Jonathan WOODGATE are the only remaining players to have been on the field for every minute of every one of Tottenham's Premier League matches this season.
If selected:-
Ledley KING will be making his 200th Premier League appearance - all in Tottenham colours.
Paul STALTERI will be playing the day after his 31st birthday.
HEAD TO HEAD
Tottenham did the double over Stoke when they last met in the 1984-85 season in the old First Division.
The Londoners are hoping to beat the Potters for the fourth successive time in league football.
Stoke have not beaten Spurs since a 2-0 home victory on 11 December 1982; Dave Watson and Sammy McIlroy were their scorers.
Home and away
League (inc PL): Stoke 16 wins, Spurs 35, Draws 15
Prem: Stoke 0 wins, Spurs 0, Draws 0
at Stoke only
League (inc PL): Stoke 15 wins, Spurs 9, Draws 9
Prem: Stoke 0 wins, Spurs 0, Draws 0
REFEREE
Lee Mason (Lancashire) <!-- S ILIN -->