WEST BROMWICH ALBION v TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 11th September 2010, 3:00pm
The Hawthorns

TEAM NEWS

Albion

In goal, captain Scott Carson will start with Boaz Myhill on the bench providing back-up.

Roberto Di Matteo looks likely to stick with the defence that started against Liverpool a fortnight ago - Jonas Olsson and Gabriel Tamas in the centre and Gonzalo Jara and Nicky Shorey the full-backs. Pablo Ibáñez and Gianni Zuiverloon are likely subs but Joe Mattock and Marek Cech are both missing through injury.

In midfield the Baggies' boss will welcome back winger Jerome Thomas into the squad after injury but may be without Graham Dorrans who withdrew from Scotland's squad in midweek due to personal reasons. Thomas looks certain to replace the suspended James Morrison whilst recent signing Paul Scharner looks Dorrans' likely replacement in the starting line-up. Peter Odemwingie, Chris Brunt and Youssouf Mulumbu will all be hoping to retain their places in the starting eleven from Anfield. Giles Barnes, Cameroon international Somen Tchoyi and Steven Reid may have to settle for substitute roles.

Up front, Marc Antoine-Fortune will play as the lone-striker with Roman Bednar and Simon Cox providing back-up. Ishmael Miller is still out through injury.

Albion (from): Carson, Olsson, Ibanez, Barnes, Bednar, Brunt, S Reid, Myhill, Fortune, Wood, Dorrans, Shorey, Scharner, Mulumbu, Zuiverloon, Meite, Thomas, Tchoyi, Odemwingie, Tamas, Cox, Jara.

Tottenham Hotspur

Goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes is still out with a groin injury, so Spurs’ boss Harry Redknapp must choose whether to continue with Carlo Cudicini or bring in new loan signing from Spartak Moscow, Stipe Pletikosa.

Striker Jermain Defoe and defender Michael Dawson both picked up serious injuries on England duty and are ruled out for three months and two months respectively whilst Jamie O'Hara (back) and Jonathan Woodgate (groin) are also long-term absentees.

The good news for Spurs is that Peter Crouch has shaken off a back strain, Luka Modric has recovered from a groin injury and David Bentley is fit after his ankle problem.

New signings William Gallas and Rafael van der Vaart are both likely starters.

Tottenham Hotspur (from): Cudicini, King, Gallas, Hutton, Bale, Kaboul, Bassong, Corluka, Jenas, Assou-Ekotto, Sandro, Huddlestone, Lennon, Palacios, Kranjcar, Bentley, Modric, Van der Vaart, Dos Santos, Crouch, Keane, Pavyluchenko, Pletikosa.

QUOTES

Albion manager Roberto Di Matteo:

"Defoe won't be involved and, if Crouch doesn't start, behind them is Pavlyuchenko and Keane. In the midfield they have Modric and Kranjcar. They've just signed Van der Vaart. They have an abundance of quality. That's why everyone wants to play in the Premier League so you can face these players.

"It's going to be a tough game but we're playing at home, and building on the last two performances, I think we'll have a good game. We want to be good and strong at home and make life difficult for anyone who plays against us. We've got a good home record.

"It's going to be a big challenge because they finished in the top four last season. There is quite a big gap to the top clubs in the Barclays Premier League, especially for a newly-promoted club like us. But football is a beautiful game because it is unpredictable - and we like our chances."

wba.co.uk

Spurs' boss Harry Redknapp:

"I've only been there [The Hawthorns] once [with Spurs] and it was a bit of a nightmare. Benoit [Assou-Ekotto] got sent off and we were beaten by a late goal.

"It will be a tough game. I watched them against Liverpool and they were very good. They pass the ball well and are a good side.

"They beat Sunderland quite comfortably in their last [home] game so it will be very difficult. We have to play very well if we want to get a result."

tottenhamhotspur.com

MATCH ODDS

Result

Albion Win: 5/2, Tottenham Win: 11/10, Draw: 23/10.

First Goalscorer

Crouch 5/1, Keane 11/2, Pavlyuchenko 11/2, Dos Santos 7/1, Van der Vaart 7/1, Fortune 8/1, Odemwingie 8/1, Bale 8/1, Bednar 9/1, Wood 9/1, Cox 10/1, Kranjcar 10/1, Modric 10/1, Lennon 11/1, Barnes 12/1,  Dorrans 12/1, Thomas 12/1, Brunt 12/1.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets for the game are on general sale.

Partly cloudy with a 20% chance of rain. 17°C.

FIXTURE HISTORY

LAST MEETING AT THE HAWTHORNS

Albion 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Barclays Premier League
Sunday 28 December 2008, 2:00pm

Albion: Carson, Zuiverloon (Hoefkens 72), Olsson, Barnett, Cech, Morrison, Greening, Brunt (Dorrans 65), Borja Valero (Beattie 80), Bednar, Moore. Subs not used: Kiely, Kim, MacDonald, Donk.

Goalscorers: Bednar 83 , Beattie 94.

Morrison 28 (foul), Brunt 45 (foul), Zuiverloon 59 (foul)

Tottenham Hotspur: Gomes, Corluka, Dawson, Woodgate, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Zokora (Campbell 86), Jenas, Bentley (O'Hara 69), Modric (Bale 75), Bent. Subs not used: Cesar, Gunter, Taarabt, Obika.

 Assou-Ekotto 35 (serious foul play)

Dawson 14 (foul), Jenas 88 (foul)

Attendance: 26,344

Referee: Steve Tanner (Somerset)

Late goals from Roman Bednar and Craig Beattie gave West Brom a deserved 2-0 victory over a poor Tottenham side who played 55 minutes with 10 men. The hosts dominated with their numerical advantage, as they had done before left-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto's dismissal, but they struggled to force the breakthrough. But seven minutes from time Bednar headed home a long punt into the box to give the Baggies only their fifth league victory of the season. Substitute Beattie stabbed home a second in injury time.

West Brom began brightly when Marek Cech burst through the middle from left-back and released James Morrison on the right but no-one was able to meet his drilled cross into the six-yard area. Leon Barnett's foul on Aaron Lennon gave David Bentley a free-kick opportunity 35 yards out but he chose to roll the ball into the channel and Darren Bent could not get a shot on goal. In the 14th minute Michael Dawson was booked for bringing down Luke Moore on the edge of the penalty area and Borja Valero's free-kick forced Heurelho Gomes into a low save to his left. Gianni Zuiverloon had to be alert to block Bent's shot from Luka Modric's ball inside, with the Spurs striker firing low at goalkeeper Scott Carson moments later. In the 23rd minute Jonas Olsson headed over Chris Brunt's inswinging right-wing free-kick as the hosts continued to have the better of the play. Morrison was booked for barging Modric off the ball in the 28th minute but the visitors were still second best in most areas. Bent went down in apparent agony clutching his knee in the 33rd minute but all Spurs were given was a throw in as the striker had clearly thrown himself over the challenge of Olsson near the left touchline. Two minutes later referee Steve Tanner had no hesitation in showing a straight red card to Assou-Ekotto after he seemed to go over the top in a challenge on Zuiverloon, although television replays suggested the tackle was not as dangerous as it first appeared. Didier Zokora dropped back to fill the hole with playmaker Modric forced to play a more withdrawn role, leaving Bent up front on his own. Three minutes before half-time Cech's 25-yard strike was deflected off Vedran Corluka's head for a corner but the Baggies could not take advantage. Brunt was then booked for a lunge at Lennon even though he failed to make contact with the player.

Three minutes into the second half Jermaine Jenas fouled Valero just outside the penalty area but Brunt's curling left-foot effort was finger-tipped over by Gomes. Zuiverloon then cut in on to his left foot to test the Spurs keeper but slipped as he struck the ball and Gomes parried it away. Brunt had another half-chance in the 55th minute from Corluka's poor clearance but he blazed well over from outside the area. And Bednar should have done better moments later when he failed to get any touch on Cech's hanging cross despite breaking clear of the defence. Zuiverloon was booked for tripping Bentley on the corner of the penalty area but the former Blackburn midfielder curled the free-kick straight into the arms of Carson. Graham Dorrans replaced Brunt in the 65th minute as manager Tony Mowbray sought to find a way through Tottenham's stubborn resistance. Zuiverloon continued to be a profitable outlet down the right and Dawson was forced to concede a corner from the Dutchman's cross-shot. Gomes was called into action again when Dorrans' shot into the ground bounced up and the goalkeeper had to tip over. The breakthrough finally came in the 83rd minute when Bednar rose above the Spurs defence to head a long punt out of defence past Gomes. Beattie added a second in injury time when he stabbed home after the Spurs defence were exposed by Cech's burst forward. However, despite their win the Baggies remain bottom of the table and are going to have to do much better when presented with similar opportunities in the future if they are to survive in the top flight.

Sporting Life

CURRENT CONNECTIONS

None.

PAST CONNECTIONS

ALL-TIME LEAGUE & CUP RECORD VS TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

LAST TEN MATCHES AGAINST TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR