Manchester United V Tottenham Hotspur

Date & Kick-Off: Monday, 22nd August – 20:00 GMT

Venue: Old Trafford

TV Coverage: LIVE on SKY SPORTS 1

Preview - However unconvincing, defending champions United are in their groove following their slightly fortuitous 2-1 victory over West Brom at The Hawthorns last Sunday. The same cannot be said for Tottenham, whose opening fixture with Everton at White Hart Lane was postponed, though they did make the most out of their midweek Europa League qualifier with Hearts and, after trouncing the SPL outfit 5-0 at Tynecastle, should at least arrive at fortress Old Trafford in buoyant mood.

Fortress Old Trafford is by no means an exaggeration either. The ‘Theatre of Dreams’ was the one outstanding factor behind United getting their hands on a record 19th English league title in 2010-2011, as it was where they dropped just two miserly points, winning 18 out of 19 at home in the league including a 2-0 victory over Tottenham, not to mention victories over their other noteworthy rivals.

On the topic of Tottenham and Old Trafford, though, you might also be interested to hear that not since 1989 have Spurs left Manchester with a coveted away win – with Man Utd triumphant in seventeen of the twenty-one subsequent meetings, including each of the last five by an aggregate of 14-4. So it isn’t just a case of Spurs needing to defy the odds on Monday, they’ll also have to rewrite history as well.

A leveller, perhaps, could be the injuries in both camps. Tottenham have a whole host of them, although few will be as sorely missed as Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic will be for United. The centre-halves have both been ruled out through injury leaving Sir Alex with an exposed and very inexperienced back-line containing 20-year-old goalkeeper David de Gea, Chris Smalling at right-back as well as Phil Jones and Jonny Evans at centre-half. The onus, then, will be on Patrice Evra to marshal a makeshift defence.

Tottenham, meanwhile, are set to be without more than half-a-dozen first-team players for Monday’s formidable trip up north, though none more important than Luka Modric who missed Thursday’s comprehensive 5-0 win over Hearts up in Scotland. Ledley King, William Gallas, Sandro and Steven Pienaar are among those who are definitely unavailable, although Tom Huddlestone is back from injury and should start from the off.

A key area for Spurs will be down the flanks, and exploiting the pace of Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon. The latter has given Patrice Evra a torrid time in recent encounters while Bale simply has to display the kind of form which saw him collect the PFA Player of the Year for his outstanding performances in 2010-2011. But the pair could well be overshadowed by United’s dangerous wing duo of Ashley Young and Nani, with the two having already began the season in glittering form.

Match Fact: Manchester United are unbeaten in their last 21 home Premier League matches versus Tottenham, winning 17.

Team News: Man Utd are without Rio Ferdinand, Rafael, Nemanja Vidic, Darren Fletcher, Antonio Valencia and Javier Hernandez; Tottenham missing Ledley King, Alan Hutton, William Gallas, Luka Modric, Jermaine Jenas, Wilson Palacios, Steven Pienaar and Sandro.

Betting - United were always going to be odds-on favourites, but bookmakers aren’t entirely confident in the home side’s chances on Monday, despite boasting an incredible record at Old Trafford over the last twelve months, and especially over this particular opponent. Not since 1989 have Tottenham won a league fixture at Old Trafford, just to emphasis the London club’s woeful record at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’.

The absences of Ferdinand and Vidic in particular have made bookies a tad wary, and justifiably so when you considering the attacking armoury Tottenham bring with them: Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon are a handful for any full-back with their lightening quick turn of foot, Luka Modric has been known to single-handily boss games in the middle of that Spurs midfield, while Rafael van der Vaart is a world-class act, though usually he hits a brick wall around the hour mark.

Nobody is doubting Tottenham’s credentials ahead of the game, and strictly no one is writing off their chances. On paper, the hosts are certainly vulnerable at the back, but it’s still a case of whether the Red Devils will have too much going forward. Ashley Young and Nani are in sublime form heading into this intriguing contest, while Wayne Rooney has that frightening glint in his eyes so he’ll be a menace.

Because they do have more dangerous players in their line-up, and because they’ll be playing in front of a packed house at Old Trafford – where they’ve not tasted defeat in the league since April 2010 (21 games) having also won their last fifteen on the spin, bookmakers have had little option but to install defending Barclay’s Premier League champions Man Utd as favourites, but they are far from overwhelming ones at 4/6.

This should be a wide-open affair with plenty of action in the final thirds, so I don’t rate the chances of this match ending in stalemate. The draw, however, will no doubt have some appeal at 3/1.

With United’s defensive frailties well documented, this may be Tottenham’s best opportunity to end their 21-year Old Trafford voodoo. And at odds of 5/1, I know I couldn’t discourage any punter from taking a chance on Redknapp’s men.

Match Odds:

Manchester United – 4/6 Bet365
Draw – 3/1 WilliamHill
Tottenham Hotspur – 5/1 PaddyPower

Verdict - I do envisage an entertaining game of football in Manchester between two teams who’ll look to get forward in numbers at every possible opportunity. If Bale and Lennon both have good games then Spurs are definitely in with a shout. But I don’t have every faith that the pair will indeed show up and bring their a-game to the party, whereas Ashley Young and Nani will, or at least should. Both Bale and Lennon have been hit and miss over the past twelve months – often sublime but on other occasions non-existent. And I haven’t even started on the other key head-to-head between Rafael van der Vaart, who rarely sees out a full gane, and Wayne Rooney, who invariably shines at Old Trafford.

While I don’t doubt for one minute that Tottenham could potentially do some damage, their key players, those who could have a large say in whether Spurs play outstanding or average, are just too unreliable to be trusted in such an excruciating fixture, from their point of view. It’s rare United’s big names don’t show up and shine, and even rarer at Old Trafford, so I’m playing the percentages with this one.

Match Prediction: Manchester United to WIN – 4/6 Bet365
Value Bet: Over 3.5 Goals – 2/1 WilliamHill

Tottenham Hotspur V Birmingham City

Date & Kick-Off: Sunday, 22 May 2011 – 16:00 (GMT)
Venue: White Hart Lane
TV Coverage: Sky Sports HD2

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Preview

It wasn’t so long ago that they were crowned 2010/2011 Carling Cup winners, so it is some statement to say that Sunday’s crunch clash with Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane is without doubt the biggest match of the season for Birmingham City, who head into the final day knowing even victory may not keep them up.

The latter just about sums up how precarious Birmingham’s position down near the foot of the table is heading into ‘Survival Sunday’. The Blues will begin the day down in 17th, a single place above the relegation places but level on points, only with a superior goal difference, to Wigan and Blackpool who are 19th and 18th respectively. So, in theory, they could stay up even with defeat, but the same also applies should they record only their second Premiership win at White Hart Lane in seven visits.

In the opinion of supporters, it beggars belief that Birmingham are in such a mess as we approach the climax to another thoroughly entertaining Premiership season, especially not after the scenes at Wembley back in February.

Birmingham’s capture of the Carling Cup, upsetting Arsenal in the final to prevail against all the odds, was supposed to be a springboard, the catalyst for a strong finish to the season which would see the Blues comfortably avoid relegation, as they did with consummate ease last term. Unfortunately, it hasn’t panned out as planned. Far from it. In fact, they find themselves in a position where they have to better any number of side’s results on the final day if they’re to be assured of Premiership football next season, and they’ll be hard-pressed to take anything from Sunday’s fixture.

Not only are Birmingham in dire straights with their form, having lost four of their last five, key players will be missing – Scott Dann and Nikola Zigic among them, possibly even Ben Foster – while their record away to Tottenham during the Premier League era will only further dampen the spirits of the supporters; A 3-2 success back in December 2008 is Birmingham’s solitary triumph away to Spurs in the Premiership in six attempts.

Furthermore, their opponents on an eagerly-anticipated final day of the 2010/2011 season are unlike many others, and that’s because they actually have something to play for.

No one in their right mind at Tottenham actually wants Europa League football next season, manager Harry Redknapp has admitted as much, but avoiding the damn thing could prove futile. Even were Spurs to finish below Liverpool in the table, who are one-point behind in sixth with fifth-place the only position worthy of an entry into Europe’s second tier competition, Redknapp’s little angels could yet turn out in it regardless via the Fair Play league. That would be disastrous for a club Harry strongly believes has all the fundamentals to challenge for the Premiership title next season, as it would mean arriving back to training earlier than all their rivals in order to contest two two-legged ties before even making the draw for the Europe League proper.

So there shouldn’t be any half-measures from Tottenham, not if Harry has anything to do with it, which is good news for those embroiled in a relegation battle but heartbreaking for Alex McLeish and Birmingham, who haven’t looked capable of beating anyone based on recent form, let alone a team boasting as much talent and attacking quality as Tottenham. Then again, there’s only so much the Spurs boss can do, even with half-a-dozen supremely gifted players at his disposal.

Last week’s stunning win at Anfield was only Tottenham’s second in eleven league games, their first in six, while it’s been clear for some time now that an arduous campaign of competing on two important fronts – the league and in the Champions League, which they’ve established a taste for and are now not interested in settling for the ‘uncool’ Europa League – has caught up with the players, physically and mentally, and that some valueable respite is very much needed in order for his players to recharge their batteries ahead of another hopefully exciting and promising campaign.

So the sooner Harry sends his players off on their summer holidays the better, as far as he’s concerned. In the meantime, though, Spurs need to do their bit – by finishing fifth – as to avoid the worst case of scenario of resuming first-team training earlier than planned. Victory over Birmingham would sweeten the deal, regardless of what Liverpool do elsewhere at Aston Villa.

So will it come down to whose needs are greater? If so, Birmingham would surely win hands down. But it isn’t as straightforward as that. Will we even notice who the hungrier side should be? It should be Birmingham, however Alex McLeish’s men have lost their way ever since clinching the Carling Cup, some believe since Scott Dann’s injury, and have lacked the cohesion and togetherness which made them such a formidable opponent last season. I genuinely fear for Birmingham, as do most of their own fans.

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Form

Tottenham – DLDLW (Tottenham 2-2 West Brom, Chelsea 2-1 Tottenham, Tottenham 1-1 Blackpool, Man City 1-0 Tottenham, Liverpool 0-2 Tottenham)

Birmingham – LLDLL (Chelsea 3-1 Birmingham, Liverpool 5-0 Birmingham, Birmingham 1-1 Wolves, Newcastle 2-1 Birmingham, Birmingham 0-2 Fulham)

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Head-to-Head (Premiership)

Tottenham wins: 6
Draws: 4
Birmingham wins: 3

Last 5 Seasons

2010/2011: Birmingham 1-1 Tottenham
2009/2010: Birmingham 1-1 Tottenham
2009/2010: Tottenham 2-1 Birmingham
2007/2008: Birmingham 4-1 Tottenham
2007/2008: Tottenham 2-3 Birmingham

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Streaks & Trends

Tottenham have won five of the six Premiership encounters with Birmingham at White Hart Lane (W5 D0 L1), with Birmingham’s one and only triumph in north London coming back in December 2007.

Spurs have also scored precisely two goals on four occasions at home to Birmingham in the Premier League.

A 2-0 defeat of Liverpool at Anfield ended a five-match winless run for Tottenham, who have drawn four of their last five at White Hart Lane, including each of their last three.

Birmingham have lost four and won none of their last five, shipping thirteen goals during this dour spell.

The Blues have also collected just one miserly point from away fixtures against the top-six sides this season (Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City & Man Utd), managing just two goals themselves but conceding an alarming fifteen in return.

Alex McLeish‘s men have won only two of eighteen away from home this season (W2 D7 L9), and are without an away win for six games.

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Match Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur to WIN – 1.57 BetFred

Birmingham built up a formidable reputation last term for being incredibly well-organised, hard-working and for having this togetherness in camp which other teams could only dream of. All of those characteristics have gone array in 2011 – they’ll go into Sunday’s pivotal game without a win in five, four of which were losses. So hardly the form to inspire the masses, is it?

The Blues’ cause isn’t helped by Tottenham’s necessity to win. The last thing Harry Redknapp needs is to call back his players from their summer holidays to contest a couple of Europa League qualifiers. So he’ll be drilling it into his players the importance of registering maximum points from Sunday’s contest, though he’ll also want to repay the fans for their support over a long and exhausting campaign with a champagne performance on the final day.

No let-up from Spurs then and if their big names come to the fore, I see only one outcome – a comfortable victory for the hosts, who have reigned supreme in five of the previous six encounters with the Blues at White Hart Lane in the Premier League.

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Match Odds

Tottenham Hotspur – 1.57 BetFred
Draw – 4.33 VictorChandler
Birmingham City – 6.50 Bet365

Liverpool V Tottenham Hotspur

Date & Kick-Off: Sunday, 15 May 2011 – 16:00 (GMT)
Venue: Anfield

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Preview

When the fixtures for the 2010/2011 season were announced last summer, this one had all the makings of a potential top-four decider. So you can imagine our disappointment, let alone the fans’, that neither are still in contention for Champions League football next season. Instead, the pair are left contesting the scraps, the Europa League – a competition both could ideally do without, if truth be told. Nevertheless, both managers have expressed a desire to finish as high up in the table as possible so I suppose we should all anticipate a cracking affair on Merseyside this Sunday as red-hot Liverpool entertain a highly talented Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield.

Finishing fifth and thus acquiring European football next season, albeit in the Europa League – the second tier of European competition, means that effectively this fixture isn’t meaningless. That said, fifth almost looks a poison chalice. You’ll play all your European matches on a Thursday, which in turn means your league fixtures will be played the following Sunday/Monday. And even if you do go all the way and lift the damn thing, it’s become a competition no top club in their right mind can truly brag about.

Of the two, Liverpool have definitely shown more enthusiasm towards the competition. At least, that’s what Kenny Dalglish would have us believe. But surely, even he, deep down, would rather pass up this opportunity of a second consecutive season in the Europa League. Of course, avoiding the tournament is a feat easier said than done.

Whereas Spurs are finishing the season at a cantor, strolling towards the finish line at their own leisurely pace, Liverpool are blitzing everyone that dares stand in their way.

Tottenham’s 1-0 defeat in Tuesday’s must-win clash with Manchester City, a result which killed off both theirs and Liverpool’s hopes of acquiring Champions League football next season, stretched their barren run without winning to five games, with a 3-2 defeat of Stoke at the beginning of April their only triumph in the Premier League for almost three months. It is now one win in ten in the league, and one in twelve in all competitions.

Based on form, Liverpool will trample all over their visitors. Whereas league wins have been at a premium in recent months for Spurs, the Reds can’t drag themselves away from all the glory. Monday night’s 5-2 rout of Fulham at Craven Cottage – a venue where the hosts where previously unbeaten in seven in the league, six of which were victories – means it’s now four wins in five for Kenny Dalglish’s resurgent Reds as they continue to blow most teams in their path out of the water.

Only Chelsea have accumulated more points during King Kenny’s reign, during which the 60-year-old Scot has masterminded wins over Chelsea (0-1) at Stamford Bridge as well as recording impressive wins over Manchester City (3-0) and Manchester United (3-1) at Anfield. And speaking of Anfield, Liverpool are searching for their fifth consecutive home win this week, having also notched up a quite remarkable 14 goals in their last four. Suarez & Co, or should I say Maxi and Kuyt – the pair have scored 16 goals between them in Liverpool’s last eight matches – are proving almost unstoppable.

Spurs, though, have enough talent in their armoury to cause Sunday’s hosts a few problems. Luka Modric and Rafael van der Vaart have plenty of guile and craft, so they’ll can be dangerous, but neither have excelled in recent weeks and have actually gone off the boil in the second half of the term. Then we have their formidable-looking strikeforce of Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch and Roman Pavlyuchenko, who between them account for just 16 of Tottenham’s 51 league goals this season. Michael Dawson has always been a reliable sort at the back but he’s been let down by so many injuries, as well as the calamitous performances from goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes.

Harry Redknapp has an eye-catching array of players on paper, however, very few have stood up and been counted during the second half of the season. As a result, Spurs are finishing a season full of promise with a real whimper.

In stark contrast, just about all of the players at Kenny Dalglish’s disposal have been outstanding under the Scot’s watch. Even the youngsters who have come in on a temporary basis, because of Liverpool’s recent bout of injuries, have shone and done an excellent job. Dirk Kuyt and Maxi simply cannot stop scoring of late, the latter even has two hat-tricks in his last three appearances, while Luis Suarez has been nothing short of sublime since completing his £23M move from Ajax back in January, which, dare I say, is looking more like a bargain with every opportunity I get to see the Uruguayan in all his glory.

It’s also easy to forget that Liverpool still have Steven Gerrard and Andy Carroll to come back. Gerrard won’t make his long-awaited return until next season but Carroll, who scored twice on his Anfield début (Premiership) in the 3-0 hammering of Man City last month, should at least be on the bench on Sunday as Liverpool look to sign out of Anfield with a bang!

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Form

Liverpool – WDWWW (Liverpool 3-0 Man City, Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool, Liverpool 5-0 Birmingham, Liverpool 3-0 Newcastle, Fulham 2-5 Liverpool)

Tottenham – DDLDL (Tottenham 3-3 Arsenal, Tottenham 2-2 West Brom, Chelsea 2-1 Tottenham, Tottenham 1-1 Blackpool, Man City 1-0 Tottenham)

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Head-to-Head

Liverpool wins: 17
Draws: 10
Tottenham wins: 10

Last 5 Seasons

2010/2011: Tottenham 2-1 Liverpool
2009/2010: Liverpool 2-0 Tottenham
2009/2010: Tottenham 2-1 Liverpool
2008/2009: Liverpool 3-1 Tottenham
2008/2009: Tottenham 2-1 Liverpool
2007/2008: Tottenham 0-2 Liverpool
2007/2008: Liverpool 2-2 Tottenham
2006/2007: Tottenham 0-1 Liverpool
2006/2007: Liverpool 3-0 Tottenham

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Streaks & Trends

Liverpool haven’t lost at Anfield against Tottenham since 1993 – Tottenham’s one and only triumph on Merseyside over the Reds during the Premier League era – though Liverpool have dominated this fixture over the years, winning 12 of the 18 Premiership encounters at Anfield.

The Reds have lost just two of their fifteen Premiership matches under Kenny Dalglish, though he is unbeaten at Anfield having guided Liverpool to six wins and eight draws.

Victory for Liverpool on Sunday would be their fifth consecutive at Anfield in the league.

Pepe Reina has kept five clean sheets in his last seven league starts at Anfield, shipping just two goals in that time.

Maxi Rodriguez has seven goals in his last three league games.

Dirk Kuyt has now scored in five consecutive Premiership matches, taking his tally to nine goals in his last eight league appearances.

Spurs have won just one of their last twelve games in all competitions, and just one of ten in the Premier League (W1 D6 L3).

Furthermore, Tottenham are now without an away win for five games, losing their last two in the spin.

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Value Bets

Liverpool to WIN @ 1.80 WilliamHill (General)

The Reds are in terrific form, especially at home, where they’ve won their last four Premiership fixtures by an overwhelming aggregate of 14-1. Moreover, Spurs are without a win in five away from home, including back-to-back defeats at Chelsea and Man City recently.

Maxi Rodriguez to Score @ 4.50 WilliamHill

The Argentine simply cannot stop scoring of late, notching up two hat-tricks in three games. Incidentally, Maxi is 100/1 with Bet365 to notch up another three-goal haul.

Dirk Kuyt to Score @ 3.25 StanJames

As hard-working as they come, Kuyt has also been prolific of late, racking up nine league goals in his last eight starts.

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Match Prediction: Liverpool to WIN – 1.80 WilliamHill

Like so many others, I’ve been taken aback by Liverpool’s performances under Kenny Dalglish. The club icon has galvanised the dressing room, but more importantly brought continuity to the football club with regards to results. Liverpool are now winning on a more consistent basis, while they’re even holding their own against the sides many believe they could rival for the title next season. There is of course a lot of ifs and buts that go with such a statement, but their form would at least suggest that Liverpool are heading in the right direction.

As for Tottenham, summer couldn’t come quick enough. A long, arduous campaign of competing on two very important fronts – in the Premier League and in the Champions League – caught up with the team months ago, and a combination of tired legs and fatigued minds has led to them making sloppy mistakes and, in some case, even being unable to compete. It may well be a case of the latter on Sunday, when the tackle unquestionably the in-form team of the Premier League right now at Anfield, where they’ve not won a league fixture since 1993.

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Match Odds

Liverpool – 1.80 WilliamHill
Draw – 3.80 Bet365
Tottenham – 5.00 VictorChandler

Manchester City V Tottenham Hotspur

Date & Kick-Off: Tuesday, 10 May 2011 – 19:45 (GMT)
Venue: City of Manchester Stadium
TV Coverage: Sky Sports HD1

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Preview

The race for a top-four finish and with it UEFA Champions League football for next season has been a two-horse race between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, as it was last season. However, twelve months ago it was Spurs who pipped Roberto Mancini and his mega-earners to the post – now the Italian is set to exact his revenge as his City side go in search of the point which would all but seal their place at Europe’s top table, albeit having to go through a two-legged play-off beforehand.

Six-points clear of Tottenham, who could enter Tuesday’s must-win encounter in sixth should in-form Liverpool continue their hot streak and record a win over Fulham in west London 24 hours earlier, Manchester City would only need to avoid defeat at Eastlands and their dream of Champions League football at the City of Manchester Stadium would become reality. And it would be fitting for them to complete the formalities in a fixture where almost a year to the day ago their aspirations of playing in Europe’s premier club competition were dashed by the very same adversary.

A draw would mean the six-point deficit which separates the two before kick-off would remain in tact, which would mean only a dramatic decline – back-to-back defeats in their final two games – would dash Manchester City’s bid for fourth – especially as their goal difference, in comparison to Spurs, is far superior – there’s is +21 while Tottenham’s is a rather meagre +7.

Roberto Mancini isn’t thinking about a point, though, he wants all three, and with good reason. The Italian is desperate to seal fourth spot as quickly as possible, as it would mean the focus would immediately switch to their forthcoming FA Cup final with Stoke at Wembley, which is scheduled for this coming weekend, and would in turn quashed any possibility of his players’ minds straying onto their final two opponents in the league – Stoke at home and Bolton away, whom they’ll have to beat should Spurs leave Eastlands with all the spoils for a third successive season.

And this weekend’s final is undoubtedly a distraction for City, and the main reason why Mancini was furious with his team’s second-half capitulation at Goodison Park on Saturday. Victory on Merseyside over an Everton side who were in form but were completely outplayed in the opening 45 minutes would have sewn up fourth, especially as Tottenham were held to a 1-1 draw by Blackpool last that afternoon, and would have rendered Tuesday’s now colossal contest meaningless.

What Saturday’s defeat to Everton has effectively done is make Tuesday’s match a significant fixture for Man City, and they’ll now have to name their strongest possible XI in a bid to keep Spurs on a tight-lease, something Mancini was obviously keen to avoid what with Saturday’s FA Cup final looming large.

The good news for Roberto Mancini is that his talismanic skipper is all set for a return, with Carlos Tevez expected to make the bench on Tuesday as he steps up his preparation for Saturday’s final. But as one important figure returns to bolster City’s chances of a strong and successful finish to the campaign, Spurs have lost arguably their most influential of them all with news that Gareth Bale has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with an ankle injury.

On top of the chilling news that Bale’s unrivalled pace out on the left-flank won’t be an option on Tuesday, Spurs manager Harry Redknapp is also dealing with the absences of Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Alan Hutton, Jonathan Woodgate, Tom Huddlestone and Wilson Palacios, while Ledley King and Luka Modric are both doubts.

Furthermore, Tottenham are currently slap-bang in the middle of their worst period of results of the season. Saturday’s 1-1 draw with free-falling Blackpool at home stretched their winless run to four in the league, having won just one of their last nine Premiership matches in a destructive sequence which has destroyed any hope they had of competing in the Champions League for a second consecutive season. As a result, they’re now clutching at straws, hoping they do their part of the bargain and beat Man City at Eastlands on Tuesday but also that others, to be more specific Stoke and Bolton, also do them a favour.

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Form

Manchester City – LWWWL (Liverpool 3-0 Man City, Man City 1-0 Man Utd, Blackburn 0-1 Man City, Man City 2-1 West Ham, Everton 2-1 Man City)

Manchester City almost wrapped up Champions League qualification at Goodison on Saturday. However, a second-half capitulation which saw Everton come from 1-0 down at half-time to win 2-1 means City must now avoid defeat on Tuesday in order to complete the formalities. The omens are good, though, with City having won their previous seven matches in all competitions at Eastlands, keeping more clean sheets at home in the Premier League than any other side (10).

Tottenham Hotspur – LDDLD (Tottenham 0-1 Real Madrid, Tottenham 3-3 Arsenal, Tottenham 2-2 West Brom, Chelsea 2-1 Tottenham, Tottenham 1-1 Blackpool)

Spurs’ miserable run of form continued at the weekend as Harry Redknapp’s men could only muster a 1-1 draw with free-falling Blackpool at home. That disappointing result stretched their run without a win to four games, having won just one of their last nine league matches – a 3-2 victory over Stoke City at home on 9 April. Not since 12 February have Spurs secured maximum points on their travels, drawing two and losing two of their previous four away encounters in the league.

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Head-to-Head

Man City wins: 3
Draws: 5
Tottenham wins: 19

Last 5 Seasons

2010/2011: Tottenham 0-0 Man City
2009/2010: Man City 0-1 Tottenham
2009/2010: Tottenham 3-0 Man City
2008/2009: Tottenham 2-1 Man City
2008/2009: Man City 1-2 Tottenham
2007/2008: Man City 2-1 Tottenham
2007/2008: Tottenham 2-1 Man City
2006/2007: Tottenham 2-1 Man City
2006/2007: Man City 2-1 Tottenham

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Streaks & Trends

Manchester City haven’t lost a match of any kind at home since 20 December, when going down 2-1 to Everton in the league. Since then, City have recorded fourteen wins from fifteen at the City of Manchester Stadium.

Victory for the hosts on Tuesday, Man City, would be their seventh consecutive home win in all competitions.

In their previous ten matches in all competitions at home, Man City have kept eight clean sheets. In total, they’ve kept ten shut-outs from seventeen at home in the Premier League this season.

Tottenham Hotspur have only managed one win from their last nine Premiership fixtures (W1 D6 L2).

From a possible twelve, Spurs have registered just two points from their last four away league games.

Jermaine Defoe has scored one goal against Man City in each of the previous three seasons – he failed to find the net at White Hart Lane earlier in the season – but has never scored an away league goal for Tottenham against Man City. The England forward has netted six times against Man City in total for Spurs.

Spurs have won four and lost none of the previous five league meetings.

Man City have won only one of the last ten Premiership encounters in Manchester.

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Team News

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini hopes to have 19-goal striker Carlos Tevez at least on the bench for Tuesday’s crucial match with fifth-placed Tottenham. The Argentina international and club captain hasn’t featured since damaging his hamstring during a 3-0 loss to Liverpool back on 9 April but is reportedly on course to feature in this weekend’s forthcoming FA Cup final with Stoke at Wembley.

Mancini is also hopeful that Micah Richards will also be fit for at least a bench role, however Jerome Boateng won’t play again this season while Kolo Toure remains suspended indefinitely pending an investigation into a failed drugs test.

With Tevez not fit enough to start, Mancini is set to stick with Mario Balotelli up top despite the temperamental Italian not find the back of the net since the end of February. Edin Dzeko, who has only scored one Premiership goal since joining for a considerable sum during January, has only netted once and will once again have to settle for a place on the bench.

It was a bad day at the office for Spurs boss Harry Redknapp on Saturday, with the Spurs boss watching on with a grimace no doubt as his side drew 1-1 with Blackpool in a game they should have won but dropped two valuable points and, frustratingly, added to their growing injury list.

Gareth Bale was on the receiving end of a rash and reckless challenge from Blackpool midfielder Charlie Adam which has effectively ruled the Welsh winger out for the rest of the season, so South African Steven Pienaar should deputise on the left. Luka Modric also reported back with some minor discomfort but should be fine for Tuesday.

Bale, who last week won the PFA Player of the Year award, will join several of his team-mates on the sidelines for Tuesday’s must-win clash with Man City. Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Tom Huddlestone are both major doubts with hamstring and ankle problems respectively, while Wilson Palacios is still no nearer to making his first-team return.

On the plus side, Vedran Corluka should be fit enough to start after making the bench on Saturday. Aaron Lennon also began proceedings on the bench but looks almost a certainty to start at Eastlands, what with Bale now out injured and Rafael van der Vaart putting in a disappointing shift out on the right-hand side of midfield.

Goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes will keep the gloves despite making another high-profile mistake on Saturday, bringing down Blackpool’s Gary-Taylor Fletcher inside the Spurs penalty area, with Adam slamming home the resulting spot-kick.

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Value Bets

Manchester City to WIN to NIL @ 3.40 PaddyPower

The Citizens have an encouraging record of W11 D4 L2 at Eastlands in the league this season, with ten of their eleven victories accompanied by a clean sheet.

Tottenham Hotspur to WIN by 1 Goal (Winning Margin) @ 6.00 StanJames

These two have met on thirteen occasions in Manchester during the Premier League era, Spurs victorious in nine, seven of which were, you guessed it, by a one-goal margin. Last season’s Eastlands meeting finished 1-0 to the visitors.

Jermain Defoe to Score @ 3.75 SkyBet

The England international has netted six times for Spurs against Man City, though only one of those strikers were in Manchester.

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Match Prediction: Manchester City to WIN – 2.05 WilliamHill

As critical as pundits were of Manchester City’s second-half capitulation away at Everton on Saturday, although no-one was more infuriated with the final score than their manager, City can wrap up fourth with victory over their nearest challenger at a ground which while it hasn’t served them well in recent meetings with Tottenham, has been a fortress for them this season – where they’ve a record of W11 D4 L2; having scored 30 goals and conceded just 12, and where Joe Hart has kept no less than ten clean sheet.

Moreover, Tottenham are in dire straights. A long and arduous season has definitely caught up with Harry’s men, who are labouring to the end of the season having mustered just one win from their last nine league games. Their cause won’t be helped by the definite absences of Tom Huddlestone and Gareth Bale, while even Luka Modric will undergo late checks.

Manchester City at home look stunning value, though they’ll probably make hard work of it, as they invariably do. Seven of their eleven league victories this season were by a one-goal margin – Bet365 go 4.00 (3/1) on the hosts beating Spurs by a somewhat predictable one-goal margin, but even more tasty is the odds available on a 1-0 home win with bWin, who currently go 8.25 on Man City winning their fifth league game of the season at Eastlands by Mancini’s favourite scoreline.

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Match Odds

Manchester City – 2.05 WilliamHill
Draw – 3.50 Bet365
Tottenham Hotspur – 4.00 VictorChandler

Tottenham Hotspur V Blackpool

Date & Kick-Off: Saturday, 7 May 2011 – 17:30 (GMT)
Venue: White Hart Lane
TV Coverage: ESPN

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Preview

Just about everyone has Tottenham down as their banker at the weekend, with firms taking no prisoners with their odds on victory against free-falling and destined for relegation Blackpool. However, as dismal as Blackpool’s form has been in recent weeks, Spurs haven’t exactly been setting the world alight and at the odds I wouldn’t deter any punter from taking a chance on Ian Holloway’s endearing Tangerines.

For starters, I reckon you’ll definitely be getting value for money with the visitors, which coincidentally is Ian Holloway’s motto. The Seasiders never give less than 100%, even if their application isn’t always up to scratch. Plus, if I had to stick my neck on the line and choose a team who I felt would be more up focused and motivated ahead of this scrumptious contest, my money would be on the visitors, a Blackpool side fighting for their very existence in the Premier League, as opposed to Tottenham who have thrown away any remaining flicker of hope they had of finishing in the top-four with defeat away to Chelsea last Saturday.

Then we have their respective forms, and I can tell you that there isn’t a great deal between the two. Both have been woeful in recent weeks, and both will be seeking a return to winning ways on Saturday.

Blackpool’s wait for a win is however longer, having gone over two months without tasting victory, drawing three but losing a disconcerting five in that time. Unfortunately, it does get worse. As away from home, Ian Holloway’s men haven’t secured maximum points since beating Sunderland 2-0 at the Stadium of Light on 28 December – losing five of six away matches since, excluding their defeat to League One’s Southampton in the FA Cup back in January.

Spurs, though, haven’t recorded a win in the Premier League since 9 April, when edging out Stoke at home 3-2, and that is their solitary triumph in an otherwise atrocious eight-match run containing one win, five draws and two defeats. They were also emphatically dumped out of the Champions League by Real Madrid during this run, losing 5-0 on aggregate.

So, as you can see for yourself, neither are in great shape. Bizarrely, though, considering Spurs are overwhelming favourites, it is the home side struggling with injuries – and not Blackpool, who have virtually everyone fit and will know roughly who’s starting on Saturday in one of three cup finals for them.

Defenders Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Vedran Corluka are both doubts for Tottenham, though the latter should recover in time to take his place on the team sheet. An injury-prone Ledley King could also come into the equation. While in midfield, Tom Huddlestone is doubtful while Wilson Palacios is unlikely to play again this season.

Of course, Spurs boss Harry Redknapp does have sufficient depth in his squad to name a starting XI more than capable of beating relegation threatened Blackpool at White Hart Lane, despite all the documented injuries. That said, in no which way are they a backable price, at least not in my humble opinion. Their strikers have fired sporadically in the New Year, their goalkeeper has been gifting goals to opponents, while there hasn’t been that ingenuity and spark in the midfield like there was earlier in the season, with Rafael Van Der Vaart in particular almost going missing in 2011. The same could be said for a number of Tottenham players, however.

From a Spurs perspective, It doesn’t help that their motivational carrot – a top-four finish and with qualification for next season’s Champions League – has evaporated into thin air. Their recent performances have reflected this. Blackpool, meanwhile, while they’ve not excelled in recent weeks, nor have they shown a great deal of character or fight, know their fate with regards to survival is still in their hands and that a positive result at White Hart Lane on Saturday – so either a draw or a win – would set them up nicely for next weekend’s ‘make or break’ fixture with Bolton Wanderers at Bloomfield Road.

It should be simple for Spurs, a team boasting far more creative options and an embarrassment of attacking riches in comparison to Blackpool – who have players of genuine Premiership calibre at a premium. However, Tottenham need an objective to keep them ticking, to ensure the standard doesn’t drop, and while fourth-place isn’t yet beyond them, certainly not mathematically, they are already playing like a beaten side.

So the hosts are certainly a no-go for me, especially at wafer thin odds, and even more so in the knowledge that Blackpool were victorious at Bloomfield Road when the pair went at it in a thrill-a-minute contest back in February, winning 3-1.

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Form & Last Result

Tottenham – WLDDL (Tottenham 3-2 Stoke, Tottenham 0-1 Real Madrid, Tottenham 3-3 Arsenal, Tottenham 2-2 West Brom, Chelsea 2-1 Tottenham)

In a match which was embroiled in controversy, Spurs were beaten 2-1 at Stamford Bridge by Chelsea as dubious decisions from the officials dominated all the back pages the following morning.

Brazilian midfielder Sandro scored his first goal for the the club with a wonderful effort from distance, which somehow evaded the reach of Petr Cech in the Chelsea goal. However, it was Gomes who would later go on to steal the headlines once again, and again for all the wrong reasons. The Brazilian fumbled a tame effort from Frank Lampard but did, according to replays, stop the ball from crossing the line. The linesman had a different opinion however and the goal was given. Then, with barely a minute of normal time left to play, Kalou prodded home from an offside position.

So not only was the end result bitterly disappointing for Spurs, who have all but relinquished any remaining hope they had of finishing fourth, there are now question marks with regards to morale, because of the manner of the defeat.

Furthermore, adding insult to injury, Tottenham have now won just one of their last nine in the Premier League.

Blackpool – LLLDD (Fulham 3-0 Blackpool, Blackpool 1-3 Arsenal, Blackpool 1-3 Wigan, Blackpool 1-1 Newcastle, Blackpool 0-0 Stoke)

A surprisingly dour contest between Blackpool and Stoke at Bloomfield Road ended up goalless, which in turn stretched Blackpool’s dismal run of form to eight without a win. To be honest, they can consider themselves a tad fortunate to have even taken a point from that match, as Stoke undoubtedly created the clearer openings whereas Blackpool looked bereft of ideas at times, which isn’t like them.

As if their form in general wasn’t abysmal in itself, Blackpool have also lost six of their last seven away from home, with their last away victory in the Premier League way back in December.

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Head-to-Head (Premiership)

Tottenham wins: 0
Draws: 0
Blackpool wins: 1

Last 5 Seasons

2010/2011: Blackpool 3-1 Tottenham

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Match Prediction: Blackpool to WIN – 11.00 VictorChandler

Although fourth-spot seems beyond them already, with four games still left to play, anything less than a routine win over Blackpool this weekend would spell the end for them. However, they could miss out on Europe altogether if they’re not careful, as Liverpool have now leapfrogged them into fifth – the Reds boasting a far superior goal difference and will host Spurs on the final day of the season. Europa League football is hardly a tasty incentive though, which is why I believe Blackpool to be value this weekend, despite their lousy form, as Holloway’s team are battling for their life’s down near the foot of the table and should be shedding blood, sweat and tears for the cause on Saturday.

A big ask for the Tangerines, who have already beaten Tottenham 3-1 at Bloomfield Road this season, but I’d rather back others at a short price than Spurs this weekend. That said, Blackpool are the sort of team which boast a great deal of resilience, so this should be a fixture which either goes one or the other, as stalemate really doesn’t come into the equation with the teams in question.

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Value Bets

Tottenham to Score 4 or More Goals @ 3.30 PaddyPower

Blackpool have conceded 17 goals in their last five league games, meanwhile Tottenham have notched up 8 goals in their last three Premiership fixtures at White Hart Lane. Could be a field day for Spurs if at their glistening, free-scoring best.

Rafael Van Der Vaart to Score @ 2.05 VictorChandler

Eight of the Dutchman’s twelve Premiership goals for Tottenham this season were scored at White Hart Lane, though only twice has he opened the scoring at home.

Blackpool to Score Exactly 1 Goal @ 2.40 PaddyPower

Blackpool have scored exactly 1 goal on ten occasions this season, and in three of their last four. That said, only once have they scored precisely one goal away from home.

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Match Odds

Tottenham Hotspur – 1.33 PaddyPower
Draw – 6.00 BetFred
Blackpool – 11.00 VictorChandler

Tottenham Hotspur V Real Madrid

Date & Kick-Off: Wednesday, 13 April 2011 – 19:45 (GMT)
Venue: White Hart Lane; London, England
TV Coverage: ITV1

The tie would appear to have been wrapped up by Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu a week previous following goals from Angel Di Maria, Cristiano Ronaldo and former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor popping up with two as Jose Mourinho’s men cruised to an emphatic 4-0 success which has left Tottenham requiring miracles back at White Hart Lane.

Nevertheless, despite the tie looking done and dusted, Harry Redknapp has promised supporters that his players will be giving it their absolute all on Wednesday in a brave bid to not just add some respectability to the tie but perhaps even go close to pulling off one of the greatest shocks a UEFA audience has possibly ever seen.

If Spurs’ fans need reason to believe, why not seek inspiration from their imperious record at home this season? Domestically they have been a little indifferent in the north of London but in Europe but they’ve almost been flawless, securing wins in four of their five matches on home soil thus far, as well as scoring 14 goals and conceding a miserly 2 in the process. That said, Tottenham have never beaten Spanish opposition on English soil in four previous attempts while Madrid will arrive in the capital on the back of a four-match unbeaten away run in the competition; two wins and two draws.

It does all look a bit ominous for Tottenham, who are supremely talented and have produced some of their finest displays in Europe this season on their own patch, but the semi-finals are now seemingly beyond them especially as manager Harry Redknapp is facing something of an injury crisis at the back – in stark contrast Jose Mourinho has all the big names fit, including the previously injured Kaka and Karim Benzema.

Optimists can get 50/1 with Bet365 on Tottenham stunning Madrid in London by qualifying for the semi’s, which basically means Harry’s men require a 4-0 victory (100/1 Totesport) or, should Madrid do what many believe they will and score at White Hart Lane, a five-goal margin of victory, as Spurs failed miserably in their attempt to bring home an always pivotal away goal.

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Tottenham Hotspur

To win 2010/2011 UEFA Champions League – 500/1 Unibet

They have been one of the competition’s brightest sparks but can Tottenham, at the minimum, bow out of Europe with a bang? I think everyone, including the players and possibly even Harry Redknapp, are resigned to the fact that Tottenham will not be involved in the semi-finals, but they do at least have the opportunity at White Hart Lane on Wednesday to add some respectability to the tie and leave their large European audience with a positive lasting memory of them.

At this rate, ensuring the aggregate score doesn’t get any more uglier would appear a stiff ask in itself. Spurs were very unconvincing at the weekend when dispatching of Stoke 3-2 at White Hart Lane, while manager Harry Redknapp is already resigned to the fact that he’s likely to be without several key defenders for the remainder of the campaign, let alone Wednesday’s big game. Alan Hutton and Ledley King are definitely out until the summer while Jonathan Woodgate, who has been plagued by injuries throughout his Spurs career, now has a calf problem.

Redknapp is hopeful one of either Younes Kaboul or William Gallas will fill in at centre-half and partner Michael Dawson. The Spurs boss, who has promised to attack Madrid, will also consider a far more offensive formation, with both Jermain Defoe and Roman Pavlyuchenko expected to start up top – Peter Crouch is obviously suspended for his stupidity in the opening leg, when receiving a red card within the opening fifteen minutes of the match. Rafael Van der Vaart will play just off the two strikers as Aaron Lennon, who controversially missed the match in Spain after being withdrawn from the team-sheet minutes before kick-off, and Gareth Bale providing width.

Goals, goals, goals, and another one for good measure; goals. Spurs need plenty of them, four in fact, and even then they must pray and hope Heurelho Gomes in the Spurs goal keeps a clean sheet, as a single goal from the visitors would only make mission improbable for Spurs quickly turn into mission impossible. No-one really expects them to get anywhere near the 4-0 victory needed but it’s exciting that an already attack-minded Spurs will set themselves up on Wednesday to score goals in abundance against a Madrid side who could quite easily punish them several times over on the break.

Real Madrid

To win 2010/2011 UEFA Champions League – 4.50 (7/2) SkyBet

They produced arguably the finest performance of the competition so far eight-days previous, now they seek out their first win on foreign soil in a UEFA Champions League knockout clash for over a decade when they visit White Hart Lane for the second-leg of their quarter-final tie with Tottenham Hotspur, with Madrid also aiming to make their first semi-final appearance since 2002/2003 – where they would then come face-to-face with their arch rivals in the last-four, Barcelona.

During his post-match interview, Madrid manager Jose Mourinho once again expressed his love and admiration for the English game by claiming that not even a resounding 4-0 win in Spain a week ago means this tie is now dead and buried. The Portuguese maestro reckons the mentality of the English is far stronger than any other around Europe, and that Spurs will not be waving the white flag when he and his troops arrive at White Hart Lane aiming to complete the formalities on Wednesday.

Although Tottenham will have appreciated the compliments, it was effectively just another ‘come and get me’ plea from Mourinho as the Madrid tactician continues to flirt with English suitors over a possible move back to the Barclay’s Premier League. Nobody believes Real Madrid are in the slightest bit capable of relinquishing their stranglehold of this tie, especially not with the likes of Marcelo, Ronaldo, Kaka and Benzema all set to feature after overcoming recent injury scares.

At the weekend Real cruised through a normally formidable fixture, routing Athletic Bilbao 3-0 in San Mames as players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, Angel Di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain were used sparingly, while Marcelo, Mesut Ozil and Emmanuel Adebayor weren’t even used at all. So not only are we expecting the arrival of a team who boast an unassailable aggregate lead, the big names will all be there, most of them fresher and raring to go for their weekend respites.

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Betting Odds & Tips

Match Prediction: Draw – 3.55 bWin

What with Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp set to name one of his most offensive sides ever, this match really could go either way considering their opponents on Wednesday are that of Real Madrid, a club blessed with an almost unrivalled amount of world-class talent. But while picking a winner is extremely difficult, the one thing which should be a formality is goals, as Tottenham require several of them but are likely to be found wanting at the back on more than one occasion by one of the most formidable attacking units in European football.

This should be an open, end-to-end contest. However, as exciting a game as all the ingredients would imply, I just can’t pick an outright winner. I reckon they’ll both enjoy their fair share of success in front of goal, but at some stage the pair will call a truce to all this savaging of one another’s defences and settle on the draw.

Value Bet: Tottenham/Draw (HT/FT Betting) -17.00 BetFred

My visage of the game is that Tottenham will make the early inroads, they’ll start like a house on fire as they begin their desperate quest for goals. And I reckon they’ll get them, well a few anyway, but their blistering opening could prove counter-productive in the long run, as Madrid are more than capable of capitalising on Spurs’ urgent need for goals as well as tired legs. Tottenham to give their fans hope with a first-half victory before fatigue plays its part and aids a Madrid second-half fightback.

Match Odds:

Tottenham Hotspur – 2.80 WilliamHill
Draw – 3.55 bWin
Real Madrid – 2.63 StanJames

Tottenham Hotspur V Stoke City

Date & Kick-Off: Saturday, 9 April 2011 – 15:00 (GMT)
Venue: White Hart Lane

After failing to win a single one of their previous four matches in the league, on top of the fact their European adventure is now hanging by the slimmest of threads, Spurs go in search of a morale-boosting win over a Stoke side who have been dreadful on their travels in 2011 but were narrow victors when the two teams last met in north London.

Stoke, who have lost their last six away matches and are currently without an away goal for nearly nine hours, were 1-0 winners on their most recent scurvy to White Hart Lane; midfielder Glenn Whealen with the only goal of the game as the Potters proved there and then that despite their ongoing troubles on the road that they can cause the odd upset away from their comfort zone of the Brittania Stadium.

Considering their current form on the road is so dire, a repeat of their heroics twelve months ago would seem unlikely although Spurs, who have faced nothing but relegation candidates in recent league fixtures, are without a league win for four games and were as recently as Tuesday brushed to one side by European giants Real Madrid in the quarter-final of the UEFA Champions League.

So who better than a hard-hitting Stoke to take full advantage of Tottenham’s fragile state?

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Tottenham

League Position: 5th
League Form: WLDDD

Although Harry Redknapp was keen to stress in the early stages that his current crop are good enough to challenge for the league title, the main objective for the season was to retain their Champions League status, either by winning the competition outright or securing a top-four finish. At this rate, I wouldn’t bank on Spurs meeting either criteria.

In the league, Spurs have now failed to win any of their last four matches, all of which were against sides battling for Premiership survival down near the foot of the table, and the usually free-scoring north Londoners have even failed to net in their previous two. Make that three if you include the 4-0 hammering which was inflicted on them by a ruthless Real Madrid in the Champions League in midweek, a result which will have further knocked the stuffing out of a dressing room which was already demoralised following a dismal stretch of form in the league.

Redknapp must now nurse a few wounded egos ahead of Saturday’s visit of Stoke, whom they beat 2-1 at the Brittania earlier on in the season but were beaten 1-0 in the corresponding fixture last term. Peter Crouch was the hardest hit, as it was he who dearly cost his team-mates by getting sent off within the first 15 minutes of the match. So, don’t be surprised to see Jermaine Defoe slot straight into the side following Crouch’s idiotic display in Madrid.

To complicate matters for Redknapp, who already has a tough job on his hands galvanising the Tottenham dressing room ahead of an important match which should they fail to win, could see them lose further ground in the race for a top-four finish; the Tottenham boss could be without Vedran Corluka and Aaron Lennon, with neither completing Tuesday’s mauling in Madrid, as well as Steven Pienaar and long-term absentees Ledley King and Alan Hutton.

Failure to end their miserable sequence of four league games without a win could prove expensive for Tottenham, who head into the weekend five-points behind fourth-placed Chelsea who face an easy home assignment with bottom-of-the-league Wigan.

Stoke

League Position: 11th
League Form: LDLWD

Some believe Stoke are too good for the drop anyhow, but Stoke manager Tony Pulis is keen to accumulate the 40 points which normally guarantees survival as soon as possible before he starts laying down new gauntlets for his team, especially as acquiring the two points Stoke need in order to reach that magical marker may be easier said than done considering their next two league games are both away, which is precisely where Stoke have struggled to register points in 2011.

The Potters are unbeaten in two matches following their hard-fought 1-1 draw with Chelsea last weekend, a match which they bossed for large periods at the Brittania. Before that they romped to a 4-0 victory over Newcastle, also at the Brittania. In fact, all fourteen of the points registered since the turn of the year have come from home performances, with the Potters still to pick up a point on their travels in the new year.

A seventh straight away defeat is what Stoke are aiming to avoid when they pay Spurs and White Hart Lane a visit this Saturday, a fixture they ran out 1-0 winners in last season, having lost their last five without even troubling the opposing defence. Almost nine hours are on the clock since Tony Pulis and his coaching staff last celebrated a goal away from fortress Brittania, losing to nil at Arsenal (1-0), Birmingham (1-0), Fulham (2-0), Liverpool (2-0) and more recently West Ham (3-0) – with a 2-0 win over Blackburn Rovers in Lancashire on Boxing Day their last away triumph in the Premier League.

Tony Pulis is in need of some fresh ammunition and so John Carew’s expected return to first-team action following an injury lay-off could prove both timely and the catalyst for a much improved display at White Hart Lane, where they’ll face a Spurs side who may well be feeling a tad sorry for themselves following their humbling in Madrid on Tuesday. Pulis has though rued the news that veteran Danny Higginbottom is out for the remainder of the season after rupturing knee ligaments.

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Betting

Match Prediction: Tottenham to WIN – 1.80 BetFred

Spurs were well and truly put in their place at the Bernabeu on Tuesday by a classy and superior Real Madrid, and the 4-0 drubbing they received in Spain only compounded their four-match run domestically without a win. So worrying times at White Hart Lane for Tottenham chief Harry Redknapp.

The visitors, on the other hand, have been impressive of late, particularly when giving Chelsea the run around a week previous at home. However, they have been so poor away from home in 2011 that for all the encouragement they will have taken from Tottenham’s dejected demeanour at the end of Tuesday’s match in Madrid, they simply cannot be relied upon away from home to take advantage of their opponent’s vulnerabilities.

Harry Redknapp will demand a performance which oozes character, and he has every right to as anything less would leave them open to another Stoke shocker if they don’t mentally overcome their Madrid humbling. Still, with the quality they have, they should punish those homesick Potters.

Value Bet: Jermaine Defoe to Score 2 or More Goals – 10.00 PaddyPower

With Peter Crouch now suspended for the second-leg with Real Madrid in the Champions League, as well as Harry Redknapp not exactly being his biggest fan right now, there’s an opportunity here for Defoe to really lay down a marker for a starting berth at White Hart Lane for when Madrid come to town. A striker hell-bent on impressing his manager hopefully, although he’s spent much of 2011 misfiring.

Match Odds:

Tottenham – 1.80 BetFred
Draw – 3.60 Bet365
Stoke – 5.50 VictorChandler

Real Madrid V Tottenham Hotspur

Date & Kick-Off: Tuesday, 5 April 2011 – 19:45 (GMT)
Venue: Santiago Bernabeu
TV Coverage: Sky Sports HD2

As soon as the draw for the quarter-finals was concluded, this tie was the one which captured everyone’s imagination. The loveable yet inexperienced Tottenham – competing in Europe’s Premier Club Competition for only the first time in 49-years – coming face-to-face with not only one of the most expensively-assembled squads in world football but also the most successful club in European history. It all makes for two riveting contests in the Spanish and English capitals.

No club has won more European titles than Real Madrid, who are chasing their tenth under a manager, Jose Mourinho, who is bidding to make history by becoming the first ever manager to get his hands on Europe’s top prize for a third time with three different clubs. However, the Portuguese tactician is likely to be without his compatriot, Cristiano Ronaldo, for the first-leg in Madrid, while his opposite number, Harry Redknapp, will wait with baited breathe to see whether his star performer, Gareth Bale, recovers in time from a hamstring injury.

So many intriguing sub-plots, but will the football live up to all the hype? Surely it has to; with so many outstanding talents on show inside the coliseum of football, the Santiago Bernabeu, it would be criminal for this first leg not to produce fireworks.

Real Madrid are the favourites to steal a march on Tottenham by securing a first-leg lead in Madrid; this a team who have won all four games at home in this season’s competition without conceding, scoring 11 goals in the process. But Tottenham should not be underestimated; after all, they did beat seven-time winners AC Milan 1-0 at the San Siro in the previous round.

Match odds:

Real Madrid – 1.44 Boylesports
Draw – 4.50 Bet365
Tottenham Hotspur – 8.50 SkyBet

To Qualify odds:

Real Madrid – 1.33 VictorChandler
Tottenham Hotspur – 3.80 bWin

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Real Madrid

To WIN 2010/2011 UEFA Champions League – 5.50 PaddyPower

Los Merengues brushed aside their former nemesis with consummate ease in the last round, now they aim to inflict similar punishment on this season’s surprise package, Tottenham Hotspur, as a Real Madrid headed by European-specialist Jose Mourinho go in search of their first UEFA Champions League title in ten-years.

A 1-1 draw in France before a comprehensive 3-0 victory back in Spain helped Madrid ease past a former adversary of theirs, Lyon, in the Round of 16. Real have now won every single match at home in Europe this season, without conceding a single goal either, not to mention racking up 11 goals. So it’s of little surprise that the bookies, while they respect Harry’s Spurs, are taking no prisoners by making Real Madrid firm favourites to clinch victory at the Bernabeu on Tuesday.

However, the Bernabeu was ironically the setting for their latest setback in La Liga, the title they are so desperate to snatch from the grasp of arch-rivals Barcelona but have subsequently fallen eight points off the pace courtesy of their shock 1-0 home reverse to small-time Sporting Gijon at the weekend. Not only was that Madrid’s first defeat at home all season, in all competitions, it halted a winning sequence in the Spanish capital of 25 games, plus, it put an end to Mourinho’s incredible run of 150 home games without defeat, his first reverse for nine years as manager of FC Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid.

As discouraging and humiliating as their weekend loss to Gijon was, with the morale of the team now posing serious question marks, the biggest blow for Madrid ahead of Tuesday’s showdown with Spurs is actually the loss of three high-profile figures. Both Marcelo, who provides so much width out on the left from full-back, and Karim Benzema, who has been playing with new-found belief of late and scoring goals freely, are almost definitely ruled out while Cristiano Ronaldo, the pin-up around these parts and their leading scorer by some considerable margin, is also a major doubt and has been recommended by doctors not to feature until at least the second-leg.

It would be foolish to think that Jose Mourinho is now down to the bare bones and that he is left with a team lacking in talent or supreme quality, as he certainly does not. However, Saturday’s defeat only emphasised the importance of several players, and how they are the gel which keeps this team together, with Marcelo and Ronaldo in particular HUGE losses should neither feature, and neither are expected to play any part in proceedings.

Vulnerable and exposed would certainly be one way of describing Los Merengues at the minute. Step up Mesut Ozil, a player who is capable of taking Tuesday’s encounter by the scruff of the neck.

Tottenham Hotspur

To WIN 2010/2011 UEFA Champions League – 30.00 Unibet

This may be their first spell with Europe’s elite for 49-years but Tottenham’s inexperience in the Champions League hasn’t tolled so far, having ousted the two Milanese clubs, Inter and AC, en route to booking a two-legged date with a club with an unrivaled pedigree in Europe. However, their biggest test awaits them on Tuesday, when they come face-to-face with not only a former foe of theirs in Jose Mourinho, but also a team blessed with an embarrassment of riches.

Real Madrid are next on the agenda for a Tottenham side who were out-fought, out-played and a damn-sight fortunate to leave Wigan’s DW Stadium with a share of the spoils on Saturday. It was unquestionably one of their poorest performances of the season; toothless going forward and disconcertingly leaky in defence. Hopefully, Harry’s men were conveniently saving their best for Tuesday night, and that may well be the case judging by the fact they’ve been consistently outstanding in Europe this season.

A 4-3 reverse at the San Siro to defending champions Inter Milan’s is still Spurs’ only loss in Europe this season, while they stunned seven-time winners AC Milan in their Round of 16 clash with a 1-0 victory in Italy during the first-leg. So they are capable of rising to the challenge, and have been proven to give the big boys a thorougher examination.

Much of the lead-up will be marred by Gareth Bale’s potential involvement, with the Welsh winger having shone in Europe this season with some mesmeric displays, but he is currently nursing a hamstring injury which is threatening to rule him out of the opening leg.

One player who is set to feature prominently is a determined Rafael Van Der Vaart. The Dutch ace felt he wasn’t given a fair crack of the whip at the Bernabeu, his former employer before joining Tottenham last summer, and will be champing at the bit to show his former followers not only what they’ve been missing, but that he’s now part of a team capable of dismantling their team’s pursuit of a record-tenth European title.

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Betting

Match Prediction: Real Madrid to WIN – 1.44 Boylesports

It’s difficult to have a concrete opinion on how this intriguing match will turn out, as there are so many wonderful and gifted players who are unlikely to play any part. Victory could boil down to who copes with key absences the better, and as the pair both showed in their weekend results in the Barclay’s Premier League and Spanish Primera respectively, either are primed to seize the initiative in this opening leg at the Bernabeu.

Tottenham were very lacklustre when drawing 0-0 with Wigan Athletic on Saturday afternoon, while later that same day Real Madrid were stunned at home by small-time Sporting Gijon. So make of those two eye-catching outcomes what you will.

The excuse for Spurs was that they had a steamy affair with the world’s most dreamy club looming large, so they were perhaps rightly distracted heading into their weekend affair. There was absolutely no justification for Real’s slip-up at home to Gijon, with Mourinho’s men all but throwing in the towel as far as the La Liga title is concerned.

A lot depends on who is named in either starting XI, however I still fancy Real Madrid to be too strong for a Tottenham team who, judging by assistant manager Kevin Bond’s pre-match comments, are going there to defend in numbers in a bid to keep a clean sheet. I really don’t like the sound of that, as while it worked wonders at the San Siro against a clueless and ageing AC Milan side, it won’t against a young and exuberant Madrid outfit who still have so much guile and craft through Angel Di Maria and Mesut Ozil to prize open a Tottenham defence which doesn’t fill me with a large degree of confidence.

So, narrow preference is for the hosts. Hopefully, we do get a narrow victory for the home side, Madrid, as it would then lead to an enthralling contest back at White Hart Lane, where the tie should be anyone’s for the taking.

Value Bet: Mesut Ozil First Goalscorer – 10.00 Unibet

We tipped him up last time and he didn’t score, but did the following weekend. With Ronaldo unlikely to feature, Ozil will once again need to step up to the plate, and he invariably does so. More of a creator but still a mean and precise finisher when presented with an opportunity to test the goalkeeper.

Related articles:

Probable Starting XI’s
Goalscorer Betting 

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Tottenham Hotspur V AC Milan

Date & kick-off: Wednesday, 9th March – 19:45 (GMT)
Venue: White Hart Lane
TV Coverage: ITV1

First-Leg: AC Milan 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur

Because they were the home side, and because they boasted an enormous wealth of European pedigree, being seven-time European champions and all that, everyone was anticipating a difficult encounter inside the San Siro for free-scoring Tottenham. That most certainly wasn’t the case, even though the onus was on Massimiliano Allegri’s side to take the game to their Last-16 rivals. Peter Crouch with the only goal of the tie so far, the Spurs striker scoring late on in a first-leg they bossed for the most part and were thoroughly deserved 1-0 winners.

To Qualify: Tottenham’s to lose…

As the title says, the tie is now Tottenham Hotspur’s to lose following their hard-fought 1-0 victory in Milan in the first-leg. They’ll have home advantage now on their side, so that bodes well for their chances, but it would be foolish to completely write off AC Milan’s chances of turning the tie around. There is enough talent in the Milan team to cause Spurs problems on the night, it will simply be a case of how effective the usually free-scoring Tottenham attacking set-up will be on the night against an ageing Milan midfield/defence.

Tottenham Hotspur

To win the 2010/2011 UEFA Champions League – 17.00 (16/1) WilliamHill
To Qualify for the Quarter-Finals – 1.29 (2/7) PaddyPower

With the hard work having been done in the first leg, Tottenham must now clinch the deal back at White Hart Lane, where their record in Europe this season has been imperious. From qualifying, right up to topping a competitive Group A, Spurs have maintained their 100% record on home soil with four straight victories in a sparkling sequence of results which even included a 3-1 demolition job of reigning European and Italian champions Inter Milan.

Furthermore, their goal difference at White Hart Lane during the group was outstanding, 10-3, this from a side who had gone over 40-years without top-tier European football beforehand but finished the group phase as the competition’s joint-leading scorers with 18-goals – a testament to the attacking prowess and attack-minded philosophy of this Tottenham Hotspur team.

On paper, then, it should be a fairly simple and straightforward task for Harry Redknapp’s men. He doesn’t think so, and has urged his players to maintain their focus, something they didn’t manage at the weekend when relinquishing a 3-2 lead in the closing minutes of the game to draw 3-3 with relegation-threatened Wolves at Molineux. Nevertheless, there were several positives which Redknapp took from that specific encounter, none more so than the return to form of his two strikers, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Jermain Defoe, who both scored wonderful goals in that match, in a timely fashion as well, just days before arguably the club’s most exciting clash in decades.

From the position they are in, leading the tie 1-0 but significantly boasting a potentially pivotal away goal, you would expect Spurs to close out the tie from here on out. Even more so now that Gareth Bale has returned to first-team action following a torrid last couple of months with a back problem. The Welsh winger tore AC’s fierce rivals Inter to shreds during the group clashes with the Nerrazzuri, and he could have another field day up against the unconvincing Milan full-back of Ibate, who does like to get forward and isn’t one for tracking back in an efficient, timely manner.

However, there are serious doubts regarding Rafael Van Der Vaart’s participation, with the Dutch ace suffering with a calf problem and was even forced to sit out Spurs’ weekend trip to Wolves in the league. But, other than that, Redknapp doesn’t have too many selection headaches that he didn’t already have beforehand, so he’ll be extremely confident that roughly the same eleven which put AC through their paces in Milan two weeks ago will be just as ruthless in attack inside an atmospheric White Hart Lane.

AC Milan

To win the 2010/2011 UEFA Champions League – 41.00 (40/1) bWin
To Qualify for the Quarter-Finals – 3.75 (11/4) VictorChandler

If Milan were under an illusion as to how difficult progressing into the next round of knock-outs will be, then this statistical beauty should sum up perfectly their predicament: on just one occasion have a club in UEFA Champions League history overcame a home defeat in the first-leg of a knock-out encounter and progressed, and that club was Ajax way back in 1995/1996.

And then there’s the 4-0 thumping they received on their most recent visit to England, for a Round of 16 clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford in last season’s competition, bowing out emphatically on aggregate 7-2 at this very same stage in proceedings after also losing the first-leg in Milan by a one-goal margin.

So the omens certainly don’t paint Milan in a positive light. But they shouldn’t be discounted from turning the tie on its head, as while their performance in Italy a couple weeks ago was extremely poor – Massimiliano Allegri’s side showing a distinct lack of ambition and forward thrust – this is still a team with several very dangerous individuals, none more so than their potent attacking trio of Alex Pato, Robinho and, of course, the club’s leading scorer this season, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Onwards and upwards I say, as it surely cannot get any worse for the seven-time European champions. At the San Siro, AC were so lethargic and lacklustre, deprived of any forward creativity or attacking momentum, that despite boasting a forward set-up to die for. However, it wasn’t their forwards who were to blame in the opening leg, it was the manager, Allegri, who decided to cram the midfield full of combative midfielders, meaning the forwards would get very little service throughout the game. Unfortunately for Milan fans, it will probably be more of the same on Wednesday night as Andrea Pirlo, who is arguably the only midfield asset capable of threading those killer through-balls, is out injured, while Gennaro Gattuso is suspended, thankfully.

Somehow, and we aren’t entirely sure how they will go about it, Milan need to ensure their forwards get as much of the ball as possible, as these lads are proven match-winners, players of the highest calibre, Champions League calibre. Robinho has the skills in his locker to beat a man, the same applies to Pato, while Ibrahimovic is deadly from virtually anywhere on the pitch such is the velocity at which he strikes the ball. So it really is a case of how much the Milanese forwards see of the ball which will determine how much success the Rossoneri enjoy inside White Hart Lane.

Match Prediction: AC Milan to WIN – 3.40 (12/5) StanJames

For one reason or another, I feel this could be a real corker at White Hart Lane. I do not believe for one second that Tottenham are home and hosed. To begin with, the onus is on them to take the game to Milan now, which they generally do with aplomb, but that will lead to more space and possibly more opportunities and avenues to attack a Spurs defence which, while on the whole doesn’t concede many goals, has looked vulnerable on occasions in Europe this season. And if either one of Robinho, Pato or the prolific Ibrahimovic get the slightest whiff in front of goal, something they didn’t get in Milan two weeks previous, then Spurs will be in trouble.

Don’t get me wrong, Spurs should have far too much pace, guile and craft for an ageing Milan side which boasts next to no creativity in the centre of the park. However, this is a pressurized situation for Spurs, something they aren’t entirely used to, as opposed to those Milan warhorses. Plus, the aggregate is only 1-0, a small enough margin to keep Milan interested.

I tipped Milan to clinch the opening leg and they failed miserably, making me look rather stupid. I’m open to the same criticism second time around, and I can assure you that Milan are an even riskier proposition than they were back in Milan. However, I just don’t see this being as cut-and-dry as so many believe it is.

Value Bet: AC Milan to WIN 1-0 (Correct Score) – 11.00 (10/1) Bet365

Just one goal in a Spurs match at White Hart Lane sounds absurd but there were only two goals when Tottenham met Chelsea in the league earlier in the season, while they also drew 0-0 with Manchester United back in January. Also, a 1-0 triumph for the Milanese clan would see this intriguing affair extend into extra-time and possibly penalties, so a fantastic outcome for the neutrals.

Match Odds:

Tottenham Hotspur – 2.25 (5/4) Bet365
Draw – 3.50 (5/2) VictorChandler
AC Milan – 3.40 (12/5) StanJames