Premier League preview: Tottenham v Newcastle

Tottenham will look to continue their push for a place in the top four when they host Newcastle United at White Hart Lane on Tuesday.

Spurs kept pace with more fancied Premier League rivals Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal with a battling 2-1 win at Aston Villa on Sunday, despite losing Jermain Defoe to a straight red card in the 27th minute.

Tottenham remain fifth on the table with 30 points, one point away from the top four and seven points adrift of Manchester United’s lead.

Reining in the unbeaten United will be difficult indeed, but Spurs boss Harry Redknapp believes there is still time for his side to take the Premiership.

“We are massive outsiders,” Redknapp said after the Villa match.

“We are 33-1 and that’s about right I suppose. But, as I keep saying, it’s open this year.”

“It’s not impossible. You’ve got to believe you can achieve something. It’s there for someone to have a real crack at it.”

Newcastle enter Tuesday’s match on a low, having fallen 3-1 at home to Manchester City on Boxing Day.

Andy Carroll scored the lone goal for the Magpies and now travels to the club that is reportedly keen to poach him in the January transfer window.

Newcastle are ninth on the table with 22 points, equal with everyone down to Blackburn Rovers in 13th and a mere two points ahead of 15th-placed Villa.

Manager Alan Pardew acknowledged that every point is important when dealing with such a bottleneck mid-table.

”Every game in the Premier League is a cup final for a team that has been promoted, and that’s the philosophy we will take into every game,” Pardew said after his first loss at the Magpies’ helm.

In addition to Defoe, who will miss the rest of the festive period for his wayward elbow on James Collins, Tottenham will be without William Gallas (hamstring) and Tom Huddlestone (ankle).

For Newcastle, Kevin Nolan will not make the trip to White Hart Lane after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season against Roberto Mancini’s men.

Shola Ameobi is still battling a hamstring strain and will likely not return for another week, while young keeper Tim Krul is expected to retain his place despite gifting City their opening goal with an embarrassing error.