Premier League: Matchweek 8
- Venue: Wembley
- Date: Saturday, 06 October
- Kick-off time: 18:00 PM
A depleted Tottenham Hotspur return to Premier League action this weekend against Cardiff City at Wembley.
Cardiff City are yet to win a game this season and are already favourites for a swift return to the Championship.
Pochettino looks to bounce back from their 4-2 defeat to Barcelona in the Champions league in Midweek.
TEAM:
Tottenham will be without a number of first-team players for this weekend's match, as Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen, Mousa Dembele, Jan Vertonghen and Serge Aurier are all nursing injury problems.
A lack of squad depth cost the Lilywhites against Barcelona in midweek, with no game-changing replacements to come on for their tired regulars, and Pochettino will therefore have to go largely with the same XI that started that midweek European match.
Danny Rose and Eric Dier will both be considered for recalls, potentially giving Ben Davies and Victor Wanyama a breather, and Pochettino now has skipper Hugo Lloris back from a month-long layoff.
There are fewer concerns over the fitness of Kane now compared to a couple of weeks ago, meanwhile, with the Englishman scoring four times in his last three outings to take his tally in Tottenham colours to 146 goals in 222 matches.
In terms of the visitors, Warnock would ideally look to pad out his midfield with an extra man for the trip to London, but Aron Gunnarsson remains absent until after the international break.
Junior Hoilett's return does give the 69-year-old an alternative option out wide, however, but Murphy performed well on his return from injury against Burnley and Victor Camarasa has also impressed since arriving on loan in the summer.
An unchanged starting lineup is, therefore, a possibility, meaning another chance for Kenneth Zohore to prove himself up top, just ahead of the versatile Callum Paterson, who won more aerial duals against Burnley than any other Premier League player in a single match since 2003-04.
FACTS:
Tottenham Hotspur's 37-match unbeaten run against promoted sides, winning 34 and drawing three since losing to Queens Park Rangers in April 2012, is the second longest in the Premier League, after Chelsea’s 63-match run between May 2001 and September 2011.
Cardiff are the only Premier League team of 27 that Harry Kane has faced and not scored against.
Kane is one of only two players from the 28 to have scored 100 Premier League goals who has struck fewer at home (54 goals) than away (59). Ryan Giggs is the other.
Spurs have won their last seven home matches in all competitions against the Bluebirds, scoring 19 goals and conceding only five.
POSSIBLE LINE-UP:
Tottenham: Lloris; Rose, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Trippier; Winks, Dier; Moura, Lamela, Son; Kane
Cardiff: Etheridge; Cunningham, Bamba, Morrison, Manga; Murphy, Ralls, Arter, Camarasa; Paterson; Zohore
Referee: Mike Dean
Assistants: Darren Cann, Dan Robathan
Fourth official: Paul Tierney
Betting & Match Odds
Tottenham are
priced at odds of winning 1.25 according to VBet, while a draw is available at 6.10. A win for Cardiff City are
priced at 12.50.
Click here to see all of VBet’s offers for the game, including goalscoring markets, correct score predictions and more.
