V's
Sunday 2nd March KO 4.30pm
White Hart Lane, London N17
Match Officials: Referee: Phil Dowd. Assistants: S Bennett, S Burt. Fourth Official: R East
Match Links: http://www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?...62&part=sports
For Cardiff City it was always possible their season might go this way. They aren't the first club new to the Premier League to find it a particularly unforgiving place.
But last Saturday must surely have been a new low. Shipping four goals without reply versus Hull City was Cardiff's heaviest home defeat for almost 14 years and caused Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - only seven matches into his career as a Premier League manager - to lose his temper with his players for the first time.
The team's planned trip to Abu Dhabi bit the dust, and some supporters staged a post-match demonstration targeted at owner Vincent Tan.
To top it off, those Cardiff fans who subjected themselves to watching it again on Match of the Day will have heard what, even by his high standards of excoriation, was an absolute annihilation of an analysis from Alan Hansen. In it he described them as 'abysmal', 'the other side of woeful' and concluded they have 'no chance' of avoiding being relegated straight back down to the Championship.
Yes, there can't have been too many worse days than that - even their last away match: the 3-0 defeat at South Wales rivals Swansea.
So now it's to White Hart Lane for what would have to be described as a test of Cardiff's collective character. And they shouldn't expect Tottenham to be anything other than ruthless.
On paper, Spurs' most testing remaining league fixtures all follow in this month of March: at Chelsea and Liverpool, at home to Arsenal and Southampton - but that in itself places an extra pressure on them to make sure they don't slip up in this one.
So there's a crumb of hope for Cardiff supporters. That, plus the thought it can't be as bad as last Saturday.
TEAM NEWS
Tottenham midfielder Sandro could make his first league appearance under Tim Sherwood after returning from a two-month absence with a calf injury against Dnipro on Thursday.
Kyle Walker has recovered from a hip problem but Vlad Chiriches and Erik Lamela remained sidelined.
Cardiff midfielder Jordon Mutch is fit after a hamstring problem, while Craig Bellamy is available after suspension.
Gary Medel has trained but may not be risked after a muscle tear.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
Spurs' 1-0 win against Cardiff in September was the first league meeting of the clubs in 35 years.
John Duncan's brace earned Spurs a 2-1 win against Cardiff the last time White Hart Lane staged this league fixture in January 1978. Paul Went netted Cardiff's consolation.
Cardiff have also twice lost at White Hart Lane in cup competitions since that time, in October 2002 and January 2007.
Tottenham Hotspur
Tim Sherwood's side have been beaten twice in their last six home matches - on both occasions they conceded five goals (W3, D1)
No top-half side has scored fewer home goals than Tottenham (15).
Only Chelsea have won more games (four) from losing positions than Spurs - who are level on three with Manchester United, Aston Villa and Fulham.
Emmanuel Adebayor has scored 11 goals in his last 14 appearances in all competitions. In the league, he has scored a goal every 124 minutes for Spurs this season.
Cardiff
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side have won just one of their last 11 Premier League games.
Cardiff have lost their last six away matches in the league, and only Crystal Palace have scored fewer than their seven away goals this season.
The Bluebirds have failed to score in 15 league games this season, more often than any other team.
It is 310 minutes since the last Premier League goal for Cardiff, scored by Kenwyne Jones against Norwich.
They have conceded 18 of their 48 goals (38%) in the last 15 minutes of games.