Tottenham vs Cardiff City match preview

TEAM NEWS

Injury has also ruled out Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli and Mousa Dembele for the visit of Cardiff. Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen is absent with a hamstring problem that could rule him out for up to six weeks.

Junior Hoilett is available, having missed last weekend’s defeat against Burnley with a virus. Fellow midfielder Aron Gunnarsson remains sidelined with a knee problem but could be fit to face Fulham after the international break.

 

MOTD COMMENTATOR’S NOTES

@SteveBowercomm: Having watched Lionel Messi light up Wembley single-handedly in the week, Cardiff will have a game plan to try and darken the stadium.

The Bluebirds’ season, which was always going to be a hard one, doesn’t get any easier – Spurs are the fifth member of last season’s top seven they will have faced in their opening eight matches.

Neil Warnock will hope and pray that facing Barcelona will have taken its toll in some way on Spurs. Mauricio Pochettino, though, will be looking for a comfortable day at their temporary office to maintain Tottenham’s promising start to their league campaign.

VIEW FROM THE DUGOUT

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino: “The most difficult game is the game that everyone believes, outside of the team, that you must win. “For us it’s so important to be motivated at the same level. If not we’re going to struggle.”

Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock: “Vincent (Tan) is as difficult as any owner but his heart is in the right place and he wants to do well. If the time came when he felt someone would be a better option I wouldn’t have a problem with that.

“If we don’t get results, no doubt it will become someone else’s problem. What’s the worst scenario? I could go away with (wife) Sharon to Italy or somewhere and have a nice, relaxed Christmas.”

LAWRO’S PREDICTION

This is going to be a very different test for Tottenham compared to their defeat by Barcelona in midweek. Spurs just have to look at that Barca game in isolation and forget about it, because it will have no bearing on this game.

Prediction: 3-0

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Tottenham are on a seven-match unbeaten streak against Cardiff, winning five and drawing two.
• Cardiff have only scored one goal during that spell, which includes 1-0 home and away defeats when the Bluebirds were last in the Premier League in 2013-14.

Tottenham Hotspur

• Victory for Tottenham would give them 18 points, equalling their best Premier League tally after eight matches.
• They are on a four-match winless home run in all competitions for the first time since April-May 2011.
• Spurs are unbeaten in 37 Premier League games against promoted sides, winning 34 and drawing three.
• Cardiff are the only side out of the 27 Harry Kane has faced in the Premier League that he is yet to score against.
• Kane has scored four goals in his last three matches in all competitions.

Cardiff City

• Cardiff could fail to win their opening eight league games for only the third time in their history.
• The Bluebirds are without a win in 11 Premier League games, losing eight and drawing three.
• Their last Premier League victory came against Mauricio Pochettino’s Southampton in April 2014.
• Neil Warnock has won four play-off finals as a manager at Wembley Stadium – two with Notts County and one each with Huddersfield Town and Plymouth Argyle.

Source: BBC News