Sunderland Vs Tottenham:Match Thread

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Sunderland v Tottenham

Venue: Stadium of Light Date: Saturday, 3 April 2010 Kick-off: 1500 BST

Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 live, local radio, Final Score & highlights on Match of the Day

For more details on coverage please check out Geez's Live Media Thread Click Here

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Spurs aim to extend run against Black Cats

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Tottenham go in search of a sixth successive Premier League victory against a Sunderland side that is still not quite safe.

The Black Cats were thoroughly outplayed by Liverpool last weekend as they went down to a 3-0 defeat at Anfield that could have been even more convincing.
Steve Bruce's side had previously been in decent form, managing to steady themselves in mid-table after a long winless run during the winter.
Sunderland's remaining six games will define their campaign as Bruce has admitted there is still work to do to avoid the drop, despite currently occupying 13th place eight points above the relegation zone.
Bruce will be without Alan Hutton for the visit of Tottenham as the right-back is ineligible to face his parent club under the terms of his loan agreement.
Paraguay international Paulo da Silva could come into central defence after Bruce declared this week that he is now ready to cope with the demands of English football.
Bruce could therefore start with the same back four that finished the match against Liverpool, with Anton Ferdinand on the left, Phil Bardsley the right and Michael Turner in the middle with Da Silva.
John Mensah's persistent injury problems make him a major doubt, although Bruce has few other fitness concerns.
Andy Reid and George McCartney (both hamstring) remain on the sidelines, but David Meyler (ankle) could return after missing the trips to Aston Villa and Liverpool.
Darren Bent will be aiming to continue his superb form and show his former club what they have been missing, while Fraizer Campbell will also have a point to prove if he keeps his place after getting few chances to impress during a loan spell with Spurs last term.
Spurs news

Tottenham have hardly struggled in front of goal without Bent and Campbell, though, and remain in pole position to clinch fourth place and UEFA Champions League qualification.
They have enjoyed their best run of the season to win five in a row, perhaps surprising considering the amount of injuries Harry Redknapp has had to contend with.
However, they are just two points above fifth-placed Manchester City and will be determined to cement their position on Saturday ahead of the most daunting set of fixtures imaginable.
After playing Portsmouth in the FA Cup semi-finals next weekend, Spurs return to Premier League action with back-to-back games against Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United.
Jermain Defoe is set to return to the side after recovering from a hamstring injury, but Redknapp must decide whether to partner him with Peter Crouch, Roman Pavlyuchenko or Eidur Gudjohnsen.
Kyle Walker started at full-back against Portsmouth in the absence of the injured Vedran Corluka, while Wilson Palacios was again left on the bench as he walks a disciplinary tightrope ahead of the key games to come.
Palacios could be pressed into action at Sunderland as Tom Huddlestone (ankle) is out, while Younes Kaboul might come in to replace Michael Dawson (Achilles).
Aaron Lennon, Jonathan Woodgate and Carlo Cudicini are long-term absentees, while Ledley King has not played since February.


PREDICTIONS

Skysports.com prediction: 1-2

SKY BET odds: Sunderland 11/4, Draw 9/4, Tottenham 11/10

One to Watch: Darren Bent
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BBC Preview

Sunderland's Alan Hutton is unavailable due to the terms of his loan deal with Tottenham, so Phil Bardsley could take his place in defence..

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John Mensah faces a late fitness test on his hamstring and David Meyler could return after an ankle problem.
Tottenham's Vedran Corluka, Michael Dawson and Tom Huddlestone have been ruled out and Wilson Palacios is a major doubt.
But Jermain Defoe has recovered from his hamstring injury and will start.


Sunderland

Doubtful: Mensah (hamstring), Meyler (ankle)
Injured/unavailable: Hutton (ineligible under loan rules), McCartney & Reid (both hamstring)

Tottenham
Doubtful: Palacios (groin) Injured: Corluka & Huddlestone (ankle), Cudicini (broken wrists), Dawson (hamstring), Jenas, Lennon & Woodgate (all groin), King (thigh), Rose (knee)


Match Preview

The last time Tottenham won six successive games in the league, they went on to finish in the top four.

That was 20 years ago as Terry Venables steered a side containing Gary Lineker and Paul Gascoigne into third spot. Tottenham would be ecstatic with fourth and achieving their sixth win on the spin on Saturday would put them one step closer to their Champions League dream.
When these sides met in early November, the whispers around Wearside were of European qualification. Victory at White Hart Lane would have actually lifted the Black Cats above Spurs, but they left with nothing and soon after went on an abysmal run that saw them pick up just seven points from a possible 42.
Steve Bruce's men were by far the better side that day, but Darren Bent's missed penalty against his former club proved decisive.
It rankles Bruce that he is persistently forced to defend his star striker's pedigree, given that he is the highest English goalscorer this season behind Wayne Rooney.
Tottenham fans certainly do not remember Bent with any fondness, not that Sunderland supporters care. He is a hero at the Stadium of Light as his 20 goals account for almost half Sunderland's 41 league strikes this season.

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MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• In 17 Premier League encounters, Tottenham have won 11, Sunderland four and there have been just two draws.
• Spurs have not won in their last four visits to the Stadium of Light (D2, L2).
• Tottenham's Jermain Defoe has scored penalties in two of his last three games against Sunderland and Kieran Richardson has scored in two of his last three appearances against Spurs.

Sunderland
• Sunderland's squad includes six players who have also been at Spurs: Darren Bent, Frazier Campbell, Marton Fulop, Alan Hutton (loan), Steed Malbranque and Andy Reid. Bent scored 25 goals in 79 appearances (36 as a substitute) for Tottenham.
• The Black Cats have won only nine of their 37 Premier League games in April.
• They have lost just one of their last 15 league games at home.


Tottenham
• Tottenham are chasing a sixth successive league win, which would represent their best-ever run in the Premier League. The last time they won six in succession was in the 1989-90 season.
• Spurs have won their last two games away from home. The last time they won three consecutive games on the road was December 2004.
• They have scored 12 times in their last five games - at a rate of 2.4 goals per game.



LEADING GOALSCORERS
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Sunderland
Bent: 21 goals (20 league); Jones: 8 goals (8 league)....

Tottenham
Defoe: 23 goals (17 league); Crouch: 11 goals (6 league)...

Referee: Lee Mason
Assistant referees: Jake Collin & Michael Murphy
Fourth official: Nigel Miller




MOST RECENT MEETING
Tottenham 2-0 Sunderland (7 November 2009)
Tottenham scorers: Keane 12, Huddlestone 68



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Sunderland Vs Spurs HT/FT Results Winning Margin Match Specials
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[nedley]

I'm really confident. Irelevent of injuries 1 - 3 Defoe(2) Gud(1)

This is our time. 4th is ours. COYS.

 

[Durrrr]

Kaboul and Bassong at the back.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Tough game even without the injuries, but the situation commands a win, so win this game we shall. COYS

 

[degoose]

Going to be a tough one. Not quite sire who is going to be playing in the centre.

 

[ShelfSide18]

Don't worry lads, I'll play Centre Mid. I'm the white Palacios.

I guess this is Livermore's chance, as Kaboul will have to partner Mr Reliable Bassong in defence, unless Harry does something really leftfield and plays Bale centrally or something.

If we win, this could be massive, a draw is even a fair result. Na, we'll win, it'll bounce of Crouch's arse 1-0.

 

[Jakes]

I'm really confident. Irelevent of injuries 1 - 3 Defoe(2) Gud(1)

This is our time. 4th is ours. COYS.

God I hope you're right!

I feel it too, if we can win this away game too I'm going to start losing my cool

 

[hellava_tough]

I'm not going to kid myself; we're up against it today

A weakened defence and a 3rd (?) choice central midfield

Very frustrating!

Anyway, although my head says we'll get beaten due to our injury crisis, my heart still says that we'll clinch the win

At least Defoe's back, so that'll give us a bit more pace upfront

COYS!!

 

[Wellspurs]

Ive just noticed my mate is 4th official, Nigel Miller a diehard Newcastle man!!

 

[Azrael]

Got a bad feeling myself.

 

[VancouverSpurs]

As with everyone else, we're up against it here. But hey, now we know why Kaboul was rebought and Livermore was recalled. We still have enough quality to play well and come away with the points here. But it's going to take a team effort, especially in CM. Modric, Bale, Livermore (if he starts), Niko and Eidur are going to have to put in a real shift.

 

[kcmei]

here is where it will all start to go downhill im afraid

 

[dannythomas]

I think this looks ok :
Gomes,
Walker Kaboul Bassong Bale
Bentley Modric Palacios ( or Livermore ) Kranjcar
Pav Defoe

Could be a high scoring game especially if Palacios doesn't make it.

 

[sim0n]

Ive just noticed my mate is 4th official, Nigel Miller a diehard Newcastle man!!

2-1 to Spurs then,... COYS!!!! :clap:

 

[Durrrr]

Got a bad feeling myself.

I agree with you! mg:

 

[robin09]

I'd take a draw.

 

[Gary-22]

we can do it, very concerned about bent of course old club and all that but if sunderland play anything like they did v liverpool we will get chances we just need the bottle to take them, in my opinion both sunderland fullbacks are poor and thats where we'll have our joy regardless of whether bardsley or da silva plays

 

[Wsussexspur]

Got a bad feeling myself.

Same here! Sunderland is a really difficult place to go at the best of times and its going to be even harder without our first and 2nd choice central defence and our entire first and 2nd choice centre midfield. Also they have a certain Darren Bent up front who will be very eager to prove a point against us today. My view is if we win today will be result of the season so far for us given the injuries we have. If we lose I hope we dont get any hysterical over reactions to it through the media and on here given the injury situation

 

[sim0n]

can't sleep here, gonna be uphill today.

2-1 for Spurs,... it has to be!!! COYS!!!! :clap:

 

[Gary-22]

i see your point but even our second choice players all can really play ball , reality is that we are well capable of beating them but if we dont we shall keep kicking on