Tottenham Hotspur V Aston Villa [KO 20:00 - SS1]

Tottenham will want to ensure that Harry Redknapp enjoys a stress-free return to the dugout on Monday when they play host to Aston Villa. Spurs will be back under the stewardship of their manager on Monday, with Redknapp ready to step back onto the sidelines following minor heart surgery.Having been advised to steer clear of football while he recovered from the operation, the Tottenham boss has been absent from their Europa League defeat by Rubin Kazan and the Premier League win over Fulham. He has, however, been keeping a close eye on proceedings and will be looking to slip seamlessly back into the fold. The signs look good for the hosts, with just one defeat suffered in their last 21 games at White Hart Lane - winning 12 and drawing eight.

Another success on Monday night would lift Spurs above Chelsea and Newcastle into third place in the top flight standings.Victory would also allow them to build on their best-ever start to a Premier League season, with 22 points picked up since losing their opening two fixtures. Villa will be well aware of the size of the task facing them in the capital, with Spurs having won both matches between the two sides 2-1 last season. Rafael van der Vaart netted all four of Tottenham's goals in those games, while Marc Albrighton was on target twice for Villa. While they may have struggled against Spurs in the recent past, Villa have been grinding out results on their travels of late. They have drawn four and lost only one of their last five Premier League games on the road.

They have, however, kept just one clean sheet in their last 25 away games and have dropped more points from winning positions this season (nine) than any other side in the top flight.


Tottenham midfielder Van der Vaart could recover from a hamstring injury in time to make Redknapp's starting XI.

Van der Vaart is considered to be 75 per cent fit after picking up a knock while on international duty for Holland against Switzerland.

Vedran Corluka is expected to overcome an ankle problem, but Michael Dawson (Achilles) and Tom Huddlestone (ankle) remain out.

Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor is battling to shake off the hamstring injury he suffered on England duty.

Villa boss Alex McLeish is also hoping skipper Stiliyan Petrov will have recovered from the hamstring injury he sustained against Norwich prior to the international break.

On-loan Spurs midfielder Jermaine Jenas, who made his Villa debut as a substitute against the Canaries, is ineligible to face his parent club.

Full-back Eric Lichaj (hip) is Villa's only long-term injury casualty.

3-1 Tottenham.

I'll stick this in here too as it's a good read for the match:

Tottenham Club Focus - Why Spurs should continue fine form against Aston Villa

Hopefully a Spurs win.

Tottenham to win 3-1

Hope Villa get something, also hopefully Bannan plays.

Tottenham to force themselves onto Aston Villa like a rather large man onto a rather small lady.

Zlatan wrote:Tottenham to force themselves onto Aston Villa like a rather large man onto a rather small lady.

Why are you describing my non-existant sex life?

Hoping Villa get something, but doubt it. 2-0 Tottenham for me.

1 nil villa, Agbonlahor to score

4-2 to Spurs.

1-0 Spurs.

Probably Lennon to score.

2-1 Villa












Nah, we're getting destroyed.

Spurs to win by 2 or more goals.

Will be a close game. Going with a close Spurs win. 1-0 Spurs,

Spurs to go 2-0 up at H/T then Villa get a goal back, put pressure on us then we break late on and finish it off with a third. 3-1.

Villa win, would be nice.

Damn I completely forgot about this, this interrupts my whole work schedule.

2-0 Spurs Adebayor to score first. Quid on it.

Spurs will smash it, obviously. Hoping for a freak result though.

Gary Neville teaching richards how to play RB

neville

Speak to you all after the game :/

Aston Villa XI v Tottenham: Given, Cuellar, Collins, Dunne, Warnock, Hutton, Herd, Petrov, Heskey, Agbonlahor, Bent

Wut

HESKEY!!!!!

Tottenham: Friedel; Walker Kaboul King Assou-Ekotto; Lennon Parker Modric Bale; Van der Vaart, Adebayor.

2-0 Tottenham

I never Herd of that Aston Villa player.

2-1 Spurs.