Premier League preview: Newcastle v Tottenham

New signing Steven Pienaar could make his Tottenham debut when Spurs travel to face Newcastle in the Premier League on Saturday.

The 28-year-old South Africa international, whose three million-pound move from Everton was completed on Wednesday, will inject even more guile into a Spurs midfield that already features the likes of Gareth Bale, Rafael van der Vaart and Aaron Lennon.

The north Londoners are in fifth place in the league table, eight points behind leaders Manchester United, who they held to a goalless draw in their most recent Premier League outing.

Newcastle are in ninth place in the league, eight points behind Spurs. In their last league fixture they held sixth-place Sunderland to a 1-1 draw in the Tyne-Wear derby at the Stadium of Light, and have claimed seven points from their past three games.

Alan Pardew’s men will, however, be keen to reverse the 2-0 loss they suffered at White Hart Lane last month.

Pardew is still waiting on the fitness of star striker Andy Carroll, who missed the Sunderland game with a thigh strain, meaning Irishman Leon Best could again partner Shola Ameobi up front, with Dane Peter Lovenkrands another option.

Defender Ryan Taylor and winger Hatem Ben Arfa are long-term casualties and are certain to miss out, while Cheik Tiote is out through suspension.

Redknapp has little news from the treatment room to concern him ahead of the clash, with only long-term absentees Jamie O’Hara, Ledley King and Tom Huddlestone unavailable.

In further positive news for Redknapp, defender Jonathan Woodgate emerged unscathed after making his long-awaited comeback from a groin injury when he played for a Spurs XI in a 9-2 win over Queens Park Rangers in a training-ground friendly on Tuesday.