PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH TIME: TOTTENHAM VS ASTON VILLA

Posted by Tottenham Insight on December 6th, 2019

Tottenham play host to a resurgent Aston Villa at White Hart Lane on Saturday.

Spurs atoned for last weekend's 1-0 loss to West Ham, with an emphatic 4-1 victory over FC Twente, their first, in the Champions League.

But Tottenham must concentrate on the Premier League where a couple of losses have set them back, early in the season. A great start to the season with a win over Manchester City was spoilt by a 1-0 loss to Wigan Athletic.

Gerald Houllier's arrival at Aston Villa appears to have spurred them and Villa have followed up on their Premier League home win against Wolves last weekend with a League cup victory over Blackburn Rovers.

Beginning the season in some disarray with Martin O'Neill's shock departure from the helm, Villa now find themselves in fifth position on the points table, with 10 points from six games.

Away losses to Newcastle and Stoke had put Villa under an early cloud, but the sun has broken out with a couple of good wins, and Villa are looking more like the side that recorded a top six finish in each of the last three seasons.

That is the effect of the stability that a permanent manager can bring to a team that was affected by the uncertainty that accompanied O'Neill's resignation.

Harry Redknapp will have to do without William Gallas with a knee problem, and Michael Dawson with a groin injury, and this could affect newsnow Tottenham defence adversely, in the Aston Villa game.

Ledley King also has a groin problem, and despite playing in the FC Twente game, is likely to miss this one. Younes kaboul picked up a hamstring starin in training while Jermaine Defoe has been absent since long and is likely to continue to be absent, for some time to come.

Heurelho Gomes will get back between the posts, where Cudicini had deputised in his absence.

For Villa, there's good news in the form of returns from injury by Richard Dunne and John carew, and Houllier will be delighted with that. Striker Gabby Abgonlahor has also reportedly recovered from his groin strain and could be in contention for the Tottenham game.

Boh matches between the sides last season ended in draws. Villa have played 18 times at White Hart Lane and drawn seven of those matches; in fact, they have not been beaten in their last three visits.

The following players could form Tottenham's eleven for the game: Gomes, Bale, Bassong, Corluka, Hutton, Jenas, Huddlestone, Modric, Van der Vaart, Lennon, Crouch