Team news

Aston Villa preview
Stewart Downing could make his home debut for Aston Villa in the Barclays Premier League clash with Tottenham.

The England winger made his comeback after a seven-month lay-off with a broken foot as a substitute at Burnley last weekend and then played 75 minutes for the reserves in midweek.

Central defender James Collins will have a late fitness test on his groin injury.

The former West Ham player missed the game at Turf Moor and, if he is ruled out, Carlos Cuellar will again deputise alongside Richard Dunne.

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has issued a warning to his players that Jermain Defoe must be stopped if they are to take anything from the game.

Defoe will arrive at Villa Park on cloud nine after his amazing five goal blast during Tottenham's 9-1 win against Wigan at White Hart Lane last weekend.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp labelled Defoe the best finisher in the Premier League after that match.

And O'Neill is not about to argue with that assumption as he holds England marksman Defoe in the highest regard.

O'Neill, whose fifth placed Villa trail Tottenham by a place and three points, said: "Defoe will have to be watched very carefully in the game as he can score goals.

"I wouldn't disagree with Harry Redknapp that he may well be as good a finisher as anybody in the Premiership.

"Defoe is a very fine player. But it is not just him we will have to be aware of. Tottenham have a number of good players like Peter Crouch, Aaron Lennon and Niko Kranjcar.

"Tottenham were absolutely brilliant at the weekend and in unstoppable form. I felt they were excellent.

"I happened to be at the game and they caused Wigan all sorts of problems scoring that number of goals. "But saying that I don't think for one minute that anyone would have expected at half-time that Wigan would have conceded eight goals in the second half.

"It is an appetising game with the two teams in fourth and fifth place."

Tottenham preview
Tottenham skipper Ledley King is still out with a hamstring injury and will miss the game.

Luka Modric has trained with the youth team as he steps up his rehabilitation from a fractured fibula.

Goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini (wrists and pelvis) is a long-term absentee.

Spurs boss Redknapp insists he is not frightened to change a winning team against Villa despite almost racking up double figures against Wigan.

Spurs thrashed Wigan 9-1 on Sunday but skipper Robbie Keane was on the bench along with Jermaine Jenas, who had played for England against Brazil the weekend before.

"It's possible that I'd make one or two changes, it's a different game and winning at home is different to playing away, you've only got to look at results over history," Redknapp said.

"There will be no danger of complacency as it's a very tough game, you are never going to get an easy game there, so it's an evenly matched game between two teams trying to get into Europe.

"You don't have a lot of time to dwell. When I was driving home from the Wigan game I was already thinking about the Villa game. We have a very tough week with Villa, Manchester United in the Carling Cup and then Everton." Redknapp feels Spurs, Villa and Manchester City will be among those looking to fill European places but could also have a crack at the reaching the top four of the Barclays Premier League.

"Man City will still be favourites, they've got a fantastic squad of players, but us and Villa are still trying to push into that area," he said.

"One or two feel they have a chance to push the top four and break into that group.

"We could go second with a win, that would be nice but it's where you finish at the end of the season - 25 points at this stage is a good total but we've got to keep building on that now." One player who appears undroppable for Spurs is Defoe, who has 15 goals for club and country this season after his five strikes against Wigan.

"He's been sharp ever since he came back from injury earlier this year and I said before the game he can carry on from the training ground," Redknapp said. "If we can get one or two from him at Villa I'll be delighted." Defoe will be up against a newly formed Villa defence - but one with a huge amount of experience.

Aston Villa vs Tottenham

Last modified 22:38 29/11/09

Pause Play

Left

Right

View thumbnails View full screen Turn captions on/off

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 

Prev

Next

• Page 1
• Page 2
• Page 3

Villa had every reason to be fearful of Spurs after their 9-1 win over Wigan but boss Martin O’Neill showed a video of all the goals before kick-off to dispel concerns.

Veteran Villa keeper Brad Friedel particularly could have been forgiven for freting about facing in-form Tottenham.

Spurs’ England striker Jermain Defoe arrived at Villa Park after notching five times against the Latics in their previous game.

Yet Friedel and Villa’s defence produced a fine display to thwart their fellow contenders for a top four spot.

And Friedel revealed how clever management by O’Neill erased the fear factor as the Villa boss showed Tottenham were nothing to be scared off by dissecting Wigan’s errors which led to most of Spurs’ goals.

Friedel, 38, revealed: “In our team-talk when we were watching the video, the gaffer pointed out all the time and space they were given against Wigan.

“He was saying a 9-1 score-line is a big score-line but don’t be confused that it was the world’s best team.

“When you see a lop-sided score like that it is a one-off situation.

“If they had won their last 10 or 12 games on the bounce by 4-0 or 5-0 then we might have taken more notice of it.

“I know they scored some good goals against Wigan but also some not good ones on the defensive side of things.

“And with the quality all along our backline, we were quite confident we would be able to pose much sterner opposition.

“That may have been a one off when Wigan were at their worst and Tottenham at their very best.”

Gabriel Agbonlahor scrambled in the opener for Villa in the 10th minute for his eighth of the season after Benoit Assou-Ekotto cleared Carlos Cuellar’s header off the line.

Spanish defender Cuellar then popped up on his own line to make a vital clearance after Friedel saved from Defoe.

But Spurs dominated the entire second half and deservedly levelled when centre-back Michael Dawson fired in an emphatic finish high past Friedel with 13 minutes remaining.

Yet Villa merited a point in the race for a top four spot and Friedel is hopeful they can improve on last term’s sixth placed position.

Friedel added: “Last year when we lost one or two players we were really depleted and we had to play one or two people out of position.

“But now the manager has done a very good job in the transfer market and we have a lot of strength in depth.

“We hope our strength in depth will make the difference.

“Spurs are a threat and Man City as well with their vast resources and funds.”

Friedel produced a fine display to help keep Spurs at bay and believes he is benefiting from having compatriot US shot-stopper Brad Guzan breathing down his neck for a first team spot.

Friedel said: “Brad Guzan has an incredible work ethic and I know he is a very very good goalkeeper.

“Maybe in the back of my mind it keeps me going.”

Spurs left Villa Park with a point after their late equaliser but Cuellar could not have done more to deny the visitors.

The star, signed from Rangers for £7.8million in August 2008, appears to have finally settled in after failing to make much of an impression last term.

Cuellar, 28, now hopes his fine display can help him earn a call up for Spain and get Villa into the Champions League after playing in the competition at Rangers.

Cuellar said: “I am really happy this season because before I was injured too much.

“This year I am feeling strong and better than the last year and I am playing better.

“We are playing for the top four and are prepared to get the top four.

“I have played in the Champions League before with Rangers when we did OK in a group against Barcelona and Stuttgart.”

O’Neill said: “That performance will give him a massive shot of confidence.

“He will just go and play, he would play left-back, right-back but he prefers to play centre-back.

“He harbours an ambition to play for Spain. It’s no bad thing if it keeps him going. They’d be impressed with him if they watched him.

“I’m not sure whether the Premier League goes out in Spain but I think that Carlos will be sending out a DVD of his performance out there.”

Aston Villa: Friedel 8, Beye 7, Dunne 6, Cuellar 9, L Young 7, Milner 6, Petrov 7, Reo-Coker 7 (Sidwell 71, 6), A Young 6, Carew 6 (Heskey 75, 6), Agbonlahor 6.

Tottenham: Gomes 6 , Corluka 6, Bassong 6, Dawson 7, Assou-Ekotto 7, Huddlestone 7, Lennon 7,  Palacios 6 (Jenas 66, 6), Kranjcar 8 (Keane 78, 6), Crouch 6, Defoe 6.