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Match Preview: Sunderland Vs Tottenham Hotspur

Preview of this Sundays Premier League clash with Spurs


Sunday will see the long international break finally come to an end for Sunderland which saw plenty of the lads away with their countries. Fortunately, no untimely injuries have been reported other than a knock to Steven Fletcher.

The Black Cats will be chomping at the bit to get back into the action as we seek our first victory of the 15/16 campaign

Spurs are also chasing their first win of the season and will be hoping misfiring Harry Kane can carry his impressive international form to where it really matters for the Tottenham faithful by getting back on the domestic goal trail.

Younis Kaboul will be looking forward to facing his old team mates, while Jermain Defoe will be looking for that bitter-sweet goal against his former club.

Match Appointments
Referee: Craig Pawson
Assistants: D Cann & A Halliday
Fourth Official: A Marriner

Sunderland Team News
Tom Beadling(Broken Ankle) and Steven Fletcher(knock) has joined Adam Johnson and Adam Matthews on the treatment table, though Jordi Gomez is available for selection.

But we'll have to wait to see new signing DeAndre Yedlin as he's not permitted to play against his parent club.

Tottenham H. Team News
Moussa Dembele, Andros Townsend and Christian Eriksen should all feature after retuning from injury.

Last Ten League Meetings
2014/2015
Sat 17 Jan Tottenham H. 2 - 1 Sunderland
Sat 13 Sep Sunderland 2 - 2 Tottenham H.
2013/2014
Mon 07 Apr Tottenham H. 5 - 1 Sunderland
Sat 07 Dec Sunderland 1 - 2 Tottenham H.
2012/2013
Sun 19 May Tottenham H. 1 - 0 Sunderland
Sat 29 Dec Sunderland 1 - 2 Tottenham H.
2011/2012
Sat 07 Apr Sunderland 0 - 0 Tottenham H.
Sun 18 Dec Tottenham H. 1 - 0 Sunderland
2010/2011
Sat 12 Feb Sunderland 1 - 2 Tottenham H.
Tue 09 Nov Tottenham H. 1 - 1 Sunderland


Form
Sunderland
Sat 29 Aug
Sat 22 Aug
Sunderland 1 - 1 Swansea
Sat 15 Aug
Sunderland 1 - 3 Norwich
Sat 8 Aug
Leicester 4 - 2 Sunderland

Tottenham H.
Sat 29 Aug
Sat 22 Aug
Sat 15 Aug
Sat 8 Aug

Last Corresponding Fixture

A Few Words On Spurs
This week we welcome a young talented aspiring sports journalist Nikhil Saglani of his own website www.nikhilsaglani.com. At just 17 years old we wish him a long and fulfilling career.

If you look at the form table, it’s not been a great start for Tottenham, with three draws and a defeat kicking off 2015/16 for Spurs. However, performances haven’t quite been transformed into results, which will give Mauricio Pochettino and the Tottenham faithful some belief ahead of the tough trip up north. Spurs have played good football for the majority of the first four games but have been unable to breakdown defences and finish chances effectively enough, something that you wouldn’t have said last season. Instead, Spurs have looked more than capable at the back, with the addition of Toby Alderweireld tightening up a previously shaky back line.

Harry Kane has finally got a goal to his name this season, albeit against minnows San Marino. He’ll be more than fired up to open his account on Saturday, especially after his own goal at the Stadium of Light in last season’s 2-2 draw. If Spurs play as well as they have, it’ll be a tough game for Sunderland - assuming we actually put some chances away. However there are concerns about Christian Eriksen and Nabil Bentaleb’s fitness, both missing international games for Denmark and Algeria respectively. Both would be big misses if they don’t feature.

From the outside, Sunderland haven’t looked brilliant in the first four games and our former captain, Younes Kaboul, has looked remarkably like the Kaboul we sold rather than the Kaboul we fell in love with only a few years back. If Sunderland’s defence isn’t up to scratch, it’ll be difficult to cope with a front four who could cause problems with a specific type of movement that Pochettino loves to play with. It’ll be good to see Jermain Defoe, but he has a knack of playing well versus former teams. He was poor at White Hart Lane on his Sunderland debut, so hopefully he doesn’t hit the form we all know he’s capable of this Saturday.

Facts 'n' Stats

  • Under Dick Adocaat, Sunderland have averaged 1.3 points in their six Barclays Premier League home games, having won, drawn and lost on two occasions each.
  • Tottenham have failed to score in half of their last eight away Barclays Premier League matches.
  • Sunderland are without a home victory in their last five Barclays Premier League meetings with Spurs (D2, L3).
  • Tottenham have failed to win in their first four games of the Barclays Premier League for the first time since the 2008/09 campaign.
  • Miss-firing Harry Kane has only managed two goals from 28 shots in his last 12 Barclays Premier League appearances. In the 12 league matches before that, Kane had scored 14 goals in 33 shots.
  • Eight for the 10 goals Sunderland have conceded this league season have come in the first half.
  • The Black Cats have drawn more Barclays Premier League games than any other side in 2015 – currently eight.

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