- Jul 27, 2004
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- #1
[SIZE=-2](thanks to CaptainCat for the banner)[/SIZE]
So this is my last Match Thread and then I am of to Australia for a month. (Hopefully one of the other mods will be able to pick up the slack.) Sorry about missing the Spartak game but things came up in the real world that I couldn't get out of. So up to St. James Park today which should be a decent game and one I believe we can at least get a positive result.
Skysports.com Preview:
Two improving sides lock horns at St James' Park as Newcastle tackle Tottenham on Sunday.
Newcastle are on a five-match unbeaten run and last weekend they turned in one of their finest displays of the season to win 3-0 at Portsmouth.
The result lifted the Magpies into 14th place in the table and above Tottenham, who held Manchester United to a goalless draw a day earlier.
Joe Kinnear will now be setting his sights on a successful second half to the campaign and he is confident of keeping Michael Owen at the club.
Owen opened the scoring at Fratton Park and will once again line up in attack against Tottenham, although he may have a different partner.
Obafemi Martins, who also netted last time out, is a major doubt with a groin injury and may be replaced by Shola Ameobi.
Kinnear's injury problems are otherwise starting to clear up, with the likes of Damien Duff and Steven Taylor pressing for inclusion.
Joey Barton (knee), Alan Smith (foot) and Igancio Gonzalez (Achilles) are still out.
Spurs concerns
Tottenham will be looking to continue their resurgence under Harry Redknapp and move closer to mid-table security.
Spurs have suffered just two defeats in nine Premier League matches since Redknapp took charge despite having some tricky fixtures, while they also sealed their place in the next stage of the Uefa Cup on Thursday with a 2-2 draw against Spartak Moscow.
However, Redknapp has several concerns ahead of the trip to Tyneside and will reassess the fitness of his squad closer to kick-off.
Darren Bent could be doubtful after missing the clash with Spartak due to tonsillitis, while Luka Modric has a tight hamstring.
Jonathan Woodgate (back), Ledley King (knee), Jermaine Jenas (calf), Alan Hutton (foot) and Giovani dos Santos (ankle) were all absent for the Uefa Cup game.
Roman Pavlyuchenko and Vedran Corluka were cup-tied and will come back into contention.
Possible starting XIs
Newcastle: Given, Beye, Coloccini, Bassong, Enrique, Gutierrez, Guthrie, Butt, N'Zogbia, Owen, Ameobi.
Tottenham: Gomes, Corluka, Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Zokora, Huddlestone, Bentley, Modric, Pavlyuchenko.
BBC Match Squads (take with a pinch of salt):
Tottenham Squad (from): Gomes, Cesar, Corluka, Dawson, Woodgate, King, Bale, Assou-Ekotto, Modric, Boateng, O'Hara, Zokora, Bentley, Huddlestone, Lennon, Bostock, Parrett, Obika, Pavlyuchenko, Bent, Campbell.
Newcastle Squad (from): Given, Harper, Beye, Enrique, N'Zogbia, Bassong, Coloccini, Taylor, Cacapa, Edgar, Butt, Guthrie, Duff, Gutierrez, Geremi, Owen, Martins, Viduka, Ameobi, Carroll, LuaLua.
Interesting Stats:
Two clubs on equal points hovering just above the Premier League's relegation zone face each other at St James' Park.
Newcastle boss Joe Kinnear, with three wins from 11 games in charge, faces the club he once played for; Harry Redknapp, with nine wins from 14 games on the Tottenham touchline, travels to the club he turned down in January.
The Magpies are the Premier League's draw specialists (seven of 17), and have not beaten a London club in the top-flight since defeating Spurs 1-4 at the Lane on 30 March.
Tottenham travel in search of a third victory on the road, to equal their total for the whole of last season.
Newcastle, who are looking to beat Tottenham for the sixth successive time in the Premier League, have scored more Premier League goals against Tottenham than any other club (53).
The last three home league games against Spurs have all been 3-1 victories for the Magpies.
Distance between the clubs: 284 miles (458 kilometres)
Tottenham make their longest journey of the Premier League season.
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Right, that's enough fuel for this fixture, don't forget to check [thread=40467]Geez's Media Coverage Thread[/thread] for watching and listening options.
COME ON YOU SPURS!
[SIZE=-4]Lots of information courtesy of the BBC and SkySports[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-4]Don't forget to head over to SC's live chat during the game. For more info click the links below.[/SIZE]
http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/index.php?page=sc_chat
http://embed.mibbit.com/?server=irc...ity&settings=8f877fda3b59f0190c39e4e1e0db2551
[SIZE=-4]Lots of information courtesy of the BBC and SkySports[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-4]Don't forget to head over to SC's live chat during the game. For more info click the links below.[/SIZE]
http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/index.php?page=sc_chat
http://embed.mibbit.com/?server=irc...ity&settings=8f877fda3b59f0190c39e4e1e0db2551
