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- May 20, 2005
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West Brom Vs Tottenham
Barclays Premier League
Venue: The Hawthorns Date: Saturday, 26 November Kick-off: 1500 GMT
Coverage: Watch highlights on Match of the Day; listen on BBC Radio 5 live and local radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles
Venue: The Hawthorns Date: Saturday, 26 November Kick-off: 1500 GMT
Coverage: Watch highlights on Match of the Day; listen on BBC Radio 5 live and local radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles
For more on live coverage please visit Geez's Live Media Thread
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2[ar]
Spurs looking to maintain momentum at the Hawthorns
High-flying Tottenham will hope to continue their storming run of form when they make the trip to West Brom in the Premier League on Saturday.
Harry Redknapp's side are third in the standings having won eight of their last nine encounters, drawing with Newcastle in the other.
They currently sit four points behind nearest rivals Manchester United and nine behind leaders Manchester City with a game in hand over both.
Spurs' most recent triumph came on Monday evening in the form of a convincing 2-0 win at home to Aston Villa, during which Emmanuel Adebayor scored both goals on the back of two Gareth Bale assists.
Redknapp's men will look to carry the momentum from that clash into their trip to the Midlands and close the gap on their big-spending rivals at the top of the table.
History is on their side, with West Brom having won just two of their previous 10 Premier League matches against the North Londoners - although both of those triumphs have come at the Hawthorns.
The last meeting between the two sides at White Hart Lane back in April ended in a 2-2 draw, while they also shared the spoils in this fixture last season.
The Baggies enjoyed a welcome win at home to Bolton last weekend to steady their campaign after tough encounters against Liverpool and Arsenal ended in defeat.
The Trotters result kept Roy Hodgson's men sitting in mid-table, trailing nearest rivals QPR and Aston Villa by just a point.
Team news
Hodgson is still without Peter Odemwingie for the encounter, with a troublesome knee injury keeping the forward sidelined.
However, Austrian midfielder Paul Scharner could return for the Baggies after overcoming a similar affliction.
Striker Shane Long is in doubt for the clash after suffering a knock to his leg during training on Monday and will be given a late fitness test.
Graham Dorrans is also uncertain to feature after turning his ankle against Bolton just a few minutes after coming on as a substitute.
Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko could start his first Premier League game of the season after Redknapp revealed Jermain Defoe and Rafael van der Vaart could miss the Albion clash through injury.
Van der Vaart came off in the second half of Monday's 2-0 win over Aston Villa with a long-standing hamstring complaint and is a doubt for the match while Defoe is struggling with a groin injury he suffered in training on Thursday.
Michael Dawson (Achilles), Tom Huddlestone (ankle) Niko Kranjcar (thigh) and Danny Rose (ankle) are unavailable.
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2[ar]
West Brom boss Roy Hodgson expects strikers Shane Long and Peter Odemwingie to recover in time from respective leg and knee injuries.
Paul Scharner could also feature after a three-week lay-off with a knee problem.
Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko could start his first league game of the season as Jermain Defoe and Rafael van der Vaart are doubtful.
Michael Dawson, Tom Huddlestone, Niko Kranjcar and Danny Rose remain out.
Plum mid-table, West Brom are as high in the Premier League table as they have been in almost 12 months. No wonder the club are planning to discuss extending Roy Hodgson's contract beyond the end of the season.
Meanwhile, Harry Redknapp, who is five months Hodgson's senior, eased back into the Tottenham dugout last Monday against Aston Villa with his heart procedure behind him.
It's good to see two of the elder statesmen of the top flight thrive.
On paper, Spurs should win. They have made their best start to a top-flight season since 1967 and are playing as well as anybody just now with a midfield which would be the envy of most.
They also have strength in depth in most departments - witness habitual sub Jermain Defoe scoring five in a behind closed doors match against Charlton on Tuesday. But he can expect to be watching on from the bench again as Adebayor struts his stuff at the Hawthorns.
Baggies fans, though, will head to the game optimistic. After all, they have not lost at home to Spurs since 2003 - and got a point at White Hart Lane last season too.
Injury has meant that Hodgson's dream front two of Long and Odemwingie are still relative strangers, and neither may be available on Saturday. Albion's Simon Cox may relish the chance to deputise, his belter at Tottenham last season earned them that 2-2 draw and it was his first and only Premier League goal to date.
So can Spurs finish the season as London's top club and can West Brom finish as the Midland's top team? On current form, and with such experienced campaigners at the helm, you would not bet against it.
2[ar]
Head-to-head
- Both games were drawn last season - 1-1 at the Hawthorns and 2-2 at White Hart Lane.
- Spurs have managed just one victory in five visits to West Brom in the Premier League and have scored just two goals in their last four games there.
- This is the 133rd meeting between the sides. West Brom have won 52 times, Tottenham 51 and there have been been 29 draws.
- Six of West Brom's 10 Premier League goals so far this season have come in the opening 16 minutes of games.
- Shane Long has scored four goals from just 13 shots this season. Luis Suarez has taken 54 shots for his four goals.
- Youssuf Mulumbu tops the Baggies' charts this season for tackles, interceptions and pass completion.
- Only Manchester City and Arsenal have played fewer long balls per game this season than West Brom.
- This is the fifth time that Tottenham have won eight or more of their first 11 top-flight matches and the first time since 1966/67. On all four previous occasions they finished the season in the top four.
- Spurs have now scored at least two goals in nine successive league matches, their best top-flight streak for over 48 years since an 11-match run between August and October 1963.
- Spurs average 17 shots per game this season, with only Manchester City (19) averaging more.
- Younes Kaboul has made more headed clearances, 79, than any other Premier League player this season.
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- Premier League. West Brom v Spurs.
- WBA v Spurs. Total Goals.
- West Brom v Spurs. HT/FT Result.
- Premier League. Chelsea v Wolves.
- Premier League. Man U v Newcastle.
- Premier League. Liverpool v Man City.
- Liverpool v Man City. Total Goals.
- Premier League. Swansea v Aston Villa.
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