Potters v Tottenham

Last updated : 20 August 2010 By BBC Sport

Tottenham have a dearth of attacking options, with Peter Crouch their only fit striker.

Jermain Defoe and Luka Modric are out with groin strains, Robbie Keane has a knee injury, and Roman Pavyluchenko and Giovani dos Santos are also sidelined.

Stoke

Doubtful: Jones (ankle) Injured: Lawrence (groin)

Tottenham

Injured: Bentley & Pavyluchenko (both ankle), Defoe, Modric & Woodgate (all groin), dos Santos (hamstring), Keane (knee), O'Hara (back)

MATCH PREVIEW

Taught a lesson by Young Boys in midweek, Tottenham can expect a searching examination on Saturday from an old-school team.

It is a very physical challenge at Stoke, like always, but we know that. We beat them last year and I think we can do it again this year

Spurs midfielder Luka Modric

Stoke are unashamedly direct and physical, and will try to bully a Spurs side that crashed in Berne on their Champions League debut.

This is also a meeting between pupil and mentor; Tony Pulis was a player, captain and coach under Harry Redknapp's supervision at Bournemouth before succeeding him as manager in 1992. The pair are now firm friends, and Pulis has even bought a house close to Redknapp at an exclusive retreat in Dorset.

Stoke have been right at home in the Premier League since promotion two years ago, earning two mid-table finishes. Their victory in this fixture in October 2008 resulted in the demise of Juande Ramos at Spurs, and a new dawn under Redknapp.

Tottenham have since graduated to a place among Europe's elite; how long they stay there depends on their response to a disappointing opening week of the season.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Stoke's only win in their last four home league matches against Tottenham was in October 2008.

Have your say on this match

Stoke

• Stoke have won their opening home match in each of their previous two years in the Premier League: 3-2 against Aston Villa in 2008 and 2-0 against Burnley last season.

• They have won one of their last seven league matches since April (W1, D2, L4).

• The Potters lost 22 points from winning positions last season. Only Wigan Athletic had a worse record in the top flight.

• Danny Higginbotham is expected to make his 200th Premier League appearance.

• Matthew Etherington will be playing against his former club.

Tottenham

• Tottenham have lost three of their last four Premier League away matches, conceding 10 goals.

• On Tuesday night, Spurs conceded three goals in a European match for the first time in 61 games since a 4-1 defeat to Bayern Munich in 1982.

• Roman Pavlyuchenko is the club's top Premier League scorer in 2010 with five goals, one more than Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch.

• Defoe is a hat-trick shy of 100 Premier League goals.

LEADING GOALSCORERS

Stoke

Abdoulaye Faye: 1 goal (1 league)

Tottenham

Bassong & Pavlyuchenko: 1 goal (0 league)

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Chris Foy

Assistant referees: Bob Pollock & Martin Yerby

Fourth official: Mark Halsey

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS

Stoke (L1-2 v Wolves, a): Sorensen; Huth, Abdoulaye Faye, Shawcross, Higginbotham, Delap, Whitehead, Whelan (Tonge 67), Etherington, Jones (Sidibe 14, Sanli 51), Fuller. Subs not used: Begovic, Collins, Pugh, Wilkinson.

Tottenham (D0-0 v Man City, h): Gomes; Corluka, Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon (Giovani 77), Modric, Huddlestone, Bale, Crouch (Keane 68), Defoe (Pavlyuchenko 68). Subs not used: Cudicini, Kaboul, Palacios, Bassong.

Source: BBC Sport

Source: BBC Sport