Team news, manager quotes and facts ahead of the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Swansea City at White Hart Lane.
Opta – Fri, Dec 14, 2012 09:50 GMT- Eurosport - Tottenham Hotspur's Raniere Sandro (right), Kyle Walker (left) and Gareth Bale (centre) celebrates after their teammate Steven Caulker scores his team's opening goal
TEAM NEWS
Scott Parker and Benoit Assou-Ekotto have returned to first-team training and could feature in Tottenham’s Premier League game against Swansea. Manager Andre Villas-Boas said Parker, who has not played this season due to an Achilles injury, and Assou-Ekotto, who has been out for three months with a knee problem, could feature this weekend, but hinted that they are more likely to be on the bench than in the starting XI. Winger Gareth Bale (hamstring) will train tomorrow, but is unlikely to feature, and Younes Kaboul (knee) is out, but captain Michael Dawson is likely to feature after overcoming his hamstring injury.
Swansea captain Ashley Williams returns from suspension for his side's Premier League game against Tottenham at White Hart Lane on Sunday. Wales international Williams missed the 1-0 Capital One Cup quarter-final victory over Middlesbrough on Wednesday night, with fellow defender Garry Monk skippering the side in his absence. Gerhard Tremmel is set to continue in goal with Michel Vorm still sidelined by a groin problem, while thigh trouble means Pablo Hernandez remains absent this weekend although it appears likely that both injured players will be back in action during Swansea's busy period of Christmas and New Year fixtures.
MANAGER QUOTES
Andre Villas-Boas (Tottenham): "I have encountered a tremendous group of people, staff & players. (It was) important to get (a) positive response, which we have had since we arrived. It has been an exciting five months and we hope we can keep doing well in order to repay the confidence given to us from the beginning."
Michael Laudrup (Swansea) on Gareth Bale: "Gareth Bale is a fantastic player and the runs he makes with the ball are incredible. He doesn't lose pace over distance and maintains over it 30 yards when players normally ease off. With space he is one of the best – but obviously that's not the same when there's no space. But even then he's still a good player and he's shown that with Tottenham and that's why he keeps on getting linked with bigger clubs. It's difficult to say whether he could move to Barcelona or Madrid because it is completely different football. You play for those clubs and you don't play on a pitch that is 100 yards – you play in the last 25 yards."
MATCH FACTS
Spurs have won 12 and lost none of their 14 league meetings at home against Swansea.
Spurs have kept just one clean sheet in eight Premier League games under Andre Villas Boas at White Hart Lane.
Swansea have won three of their last five Premier League games in London, including last time out at Arsenal.
Michu has scored five of Swansea’s 10 Premier League goals netted away from home this season.
Swansea’s scorer at White Hart Lane last season was Gylfi Sigurdsson who scored seven goals in 18 Premier League games for the Welsh side before joining Spurs in the summer.
If games had lasted 80 minutes this season then Spurs would be top of the table.
Michu has scored five headed goals this season, more than any other player in the Premier League.
Tottenham’s total of 25 goals conceded in their opening 16 games is their third highest total at this stage of a Premier League season.
Both teams have scored in five of Tottenham’s last six games.
Michu has already matched Swansea’s 2011-12 top scorer Danny Graham’s total of 12 goals from last season.
MATCH ODDS
Tottenham (8/13) Swansea (9/2) Draw (3
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