Carlos Tevez To Swap Eastlands For The Middle East? It’s Still Another Fine Mess for City
by Jon WestFiled under: Chelsea, Manchester City, Tottenham, Champions League, Premier League, Football, Transfer News
So Carlos Tevez could soon be joining up with Diego Maradona an even more egotistical maverick from Argentina. If so, Manchester City fans will be delighted.
Maradona is in charge at Al Wasl in Dubai and, according to the Daily Star, has asked the club's backers to put a financial package together that will be enough to lure him to the Middle East.
Al Wasl seems the ideal destination as far as City are concerned as they are rich enough to afford him - Maradona already has a private plane at his disposal as part of his own multi-million dollar deal - and are far enough away to put him out of their minds for ever.
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City have backed manager Roberto Mancini over Tevez's apparent refusal to come off the bench in last week's Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich.
The 27-year-old, who is now back in South America, has been suspended for two weeks by the club pending an investigation, the results of which are expected to be made known by the end of the week.
According to the Sun, City are pushing for a punishment of a six-week suspension and £1.5million fine - even if the player goes on to prove his claim that he did not directly refuse to play.
City believe Tevez's refusal to continue to warm up in preparation to come on is enough to warrant the punishment.
So far he has been given a two-week suspension and £500,000 fine - the maximum a player can be given unless there are extenuating circumstances which have to be put before the Professional Footballers' Association to be extended.
City's evidence is based upon a post-match interview with Sky Sports in which Tevez said: "I did not feel right to play so I did not."
That contradicted the player's statement the following day in which he claimed he did not refuse to play.
Mancini has received plenty if backing over his tough stance, with supporters singing his name during the 4-0 win at Blackburn and just about every manager, past of present, saying they would have done exactly the same thing.
City are fortunate that they are rich enough to let Tevez rot in the reserves if they so wish and that they already have enough world-class forwards to compensate for his absence.
But the latter was a major contribution to the problem in the first place - and for that Mancini cannot remain blameless.
True, the Italian had spent a lot of time trying to accommodate the player's need to be nearer his family, which never quite seemed to tally with moves to Spain or Italy, and must have thought he had finally come to an agreement.
But contrast that with Tottenham's stance over Luka Modric once Chelsea tried to sign him. Chairman Daniel Levy repeatedly said no and told the player exactly why - because the Croat was too good to lose.
The transfer window closed, he continued to be one of the first picks and helped Spurs beat Arsenal at the weekend. Modric was not happy to be denied the move but it has not affected his performances.
Tevez, in contrast, found himself relegated to the role of spare part with Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko first choices and even the erratic Mario Balotelli ahead of him.
And to do that to one of the greatest talents of the modern era - and Tevez showed he was that last season - was a cast iron guarantee there would be trouble. Which City duly found.
City fans have waited a long, long time for their team to be on a par with Manchester United but the club's penchant for self-inflicted disaster still appears to be present.
Emmanuel Adebayor Discovers Dignity At Last But Will The Fans Ever Follow Suit?
by Jon WestFiled under: Arsenal, Tottenham, Champions League, Europa League (UEFA), Premier League, Football
Emmanuel Adebayor has spoken of the chants directed his way during the North London derby on Sunday as both Tottenham and Arsenal vowed to ban for life anyone proved to have been singing them.
During Tottenham's 2-1 victory at White Hart Lane, Arsenal fans directed their vitriol at the man who used to play for them but now appears in the colours of their rivals by mocking the machine-gun attack on Adebayor and his Togo team-mates in Angola last year.
That, you will recall, left three of them dead and Adebayor has now been quoted in The Sun as saying: "The songs that they sung about me were very bad but was I surprised? No. Disappointed? Yes.
"Obviously it was all meant to hurt me, to upset me, to anger me. But I am so glad I kept my dignity in the face of people behaving like that."
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True, football could do without such bad-taste chants, with Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp correctly pointing out that it sent entirely the wrong message to the younger generation of supporters.
And Tottenham put out an appeal to their own support on their official website, saying: "You do not have to put up with mindless supporters who are intent on ruining your day, so use the system, report the individuals and let us take it from there."
It was the same message from Arsenal. "We do not tolerate discrimination of any sort at the club, on the pitch or in the stands. If you experience any form of discrimination at Emirates Stadium, please report this by texting 67777 or contact a matchday steward," their statement read.
All well and good but Adebayor also knows he brought the abuse upon himself by his goal-celebration antics in front of the Arsenal support when he scored for Manchester City in 2009.
That saw him run almost the full length of the pitch to reach the away support and that particular game saw him accused of deliberately kicking Robin van Persie, now the Arsenal captain, in the face.
Will Cesc Fabregas get such a reaction the first time he plays for Barcelona against Arsenal? No, of course not as the Spain midfielder was always respectful towards the fans even when he had set his mind upon a move. Samir Nasri will get some stick for choosing City's offer of a far fatter pay-packet but no-one is likely to wish him dead.
So Adebayor brought the torment upon himself in many ways. It doesn't excuse it of course, but it certainly does explain it. And therefore he does deserve credit for keeping his cool this time.
The player himself has clearly grown up. But it is churlish to expect the fans to as, let us not forget, it was the Tottenham contingent who used to give renditions of uncomplimentary songs about Adebayor and his family not so long ago.
True, references to elephants getting washed do not equate to sick death wishes but you simply have to ask Sol Campbell about how unpleasant Tottenham supporters can really be when in full voice.
Good luck, then, with the attempts to use CCTV to pin-point the perpetrators therefore but the only way you will ever get rid of the abusive chanters is to make both White Hart Lane and the Emirates Stadium corporate and family zones only.
And you can wash a lot of elephants before that will ever come to pass.
Premier League Text Commentary: Tottenham v Arsenal As It Happened
by Howard SwainsFiled under: Arsenal, Tottenham, Premier League, Football, Min-By-Min Reports
Minute-by-minute commentary from White Hart Lane.
Gareth Bale’s Assessment of Arsenal’s Woes Makes Painful Reading For Arsene Wenger
by Ian WinrowFiled under: Arsenal, Tottenham, Premier League, Football
Arsene Wenger isn't known for his willingness to embrace the advice of others so it is highly unlikely he will welcome Gareth Bale's contribution to the debate about Arsenal's decline.
As if it wasn't bad enough that the Tottenham midfielder could savour a derby win, Bale reacted to his side's victory by also offering his own analysis of the problems that have afflicted Wenger's side this season.
"Arsenal have lost a few players, which makes them more beatable I think as that has damaged the way they play," he told the London Evening Standard. "We exposed that. I think keeping your best players is a massive thing. They are used to how you play and what you do. It is vitally important to do that and build your team around them."
Bale was making the comparison between Spurs' success in holding onto Luka Modric in the face of interest from Chelsea and Arsenal's inability to keep Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri at the club.
"It is important that we have kept him [Modric], and Arsenal were unlucky not to keep theirs," he added, before offering encouragement to Tottenham's closest rivals. "But they are still a great team. They haven't had the best of starts but I am sure they will improve.
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"They have a lot of young players who are going to grow up in the next season or two and learn a lot. I am sure they will be fine."
Losing to Spurs is painful in its own right, being forced to listen to soothing words of encouragement from the young winger must be agony for Wenger and his players. If anything is going to fire up their season, it will surely be that.
Bale has a point though, although the reason the two teams appear to be following different trajectories goes beyond the movements of Fabregas, Nasri and Modric.
Tottenham's victory was built on the midfield platform provided by Scott Parker who is maintaining the form he showed for West Ham last season. Wenger could have pursued Parker this summer but decided against it, giving Redknapp a clearer run at the player. On the evidence of the game at White Hart Lane, there was no doubt whose judgement appeared the better advised.
Equally, the performance of Emmanuel Adebayor emphasised Redknapp's knack of buying players who will make an impact on his side.
Wenger's signings have, in more recent times, been slow burners, frequently young players who will take time to mature. His batch of summer recruits include several more experienced players who have come into the team but they have so far failed to match the deficit created by the departure of Fabregas and Nasri.
Redknapp frequently claims the key to success is the players at a manager's disposal. And right now, it is hard to dispute the inference that it is the Tottenham manager who has accumulated a stronger, more stable collection of players than Wenger.
Now Or Never for Tottenham to Mount Premier League Title Challenge
by Mike McGrathFiled under: Tottenham, Premier League, Football
Harry Redknapp was talking about a Premier League title challenge for Tottenham last season until around February time, when their Champions League campaign caught up with them.
This time around they have been hampered by the London riots leading to their opening game against Everton being postponed, then the fixture computer matching them with Manchester United and Manchester City as their next two opponents.
Zero points and eight goals conceded while others had played three matches meant Spurs were playing catch-up. Not quite as bad, but they were on their way to a start similar to the "two points from eight games" that led to Redknapp being appointed three years ago.
Scott Parker and Emmanuel Adebayor arrived before the transfer window closed and after four wins from as many league game, including the victory over Arsenal, Spurs are at the right end of the table again.
"I just felt after two or three weeks, I could see what was coming," Redknapp said. "I never went home and worried about it because I was confident.
"We had Adebayor coming in, we had Scott Parker. We had Sandro coming back. I knew we'd suddenly be a much better team."
Redknapp even believes they should not just be aiming for a top-four place that would bring a return to Champions League football. They could set their sights higher.
"We keep talking about finishing fourth but who knows. We may finish third or second - it's not impossible," he said recently.
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Why not? From the teams that finished in the top four last season, Arsenal are - by some distance - the most vulnerable to dropping out.
They lost their captain Cesc Fabregas and lost their playmaker in Samir Nasri. If the performance in the 2-1 defeat at White Hart Lane is anything to go by, their defenders lost the ability attack long balls down the middle.
Elsewhere, the consequences of the Carlos Tevez row at Manchester City could still impact on their season, while Chelsea have been impressive recently without having the aura of previous campaigns.
Spurs could find themselves chasing champions United soon if they continue their current form. In their 4-0 over Liverpool they showed how much Kenny Dalglish's team have to improve to topple them.
Redknapp has a better squad this season, and it is not just because of Parker and Adebayor signing for them.
Players with little hope of getting in the first-team squad were loaned or sold, meaning the smaller squad has less disruption. Alan Hutton, Jermaine Jenas, David Bentley, Robbie Keane, Peter Crouch and Wilson Palacios were the ones offloaded.
For the settled team that remains, it appears it is now or never in terms of challenging United.
Redknapp's progress in three years at White Hart Lane means he is favourite to land the England job when Fabio Capello leaves at the end of the campaign.
Should that happen, changes mean it would difficult to maintain their momentum. At the moment everything is going Spurs' way and they have to take advantage.
Tottenham 2 Arsenal 1: Kyle Walker’s Strike Settles North London Derby
by Ian WinrowFiled under: Arsenal, Tottenham, Premier League, Football, Match Reports
Kyle Walker's long range effort delivered Tottenham victory in the north London derby and put the focus firmly back on Arsenal's disappointing start to the season.
Walker struck midway through the second half after Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey had cancelled outz Rafael van der Vaart's 40th minute opening goal.
Gunners keeper Wojciech Szczesny should have kept out Walker's effort, but the keeper's error summed up a miserable campaign for Arsenal who have now lost four of their seven league games and already lie 12 points adrift of the top of the table.
Arsene Wenger's frustration was evident at the final whistle when he exchanged words with Clive Allen, one of the Spurs coaches, as he made his way down the tunnel.
GOALS:
40 mins: Emmanuel Adebayor - who else? - creates the chance that allows Rafael van der Vaart to open the scoring with a floated pass that the Holland striker ocntrols on his chest before finishing with a left foot shot.
51 mins: Arsenal level when Alex Song is allowed to run forward and deliver a low cross that is turned home by Aaron Ramsey.
73 mins: Kyle Walker puts Tottenham back in front with a 30-yard effort after Luka Modric's shot was blocked by Song
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:
7 mins: Alex Song's misplaced pass allowd Van der Vaart to send Scott Parker clear into the Arsenal area but the midfielder is denied by an excellent one-handed save by Wojciech Szczesny.
16 mins: Brad Friedel dives full length to divert Theo Walcott's left foot shot beyond his rightt hand post.
29 mins: Jermain Defoe's low cross finds Van der Vaart at the near post but the Holland forward's flick directs the ball straight at Szczesny.
29 mins: Arsenal respond immediately with Robin van Persie working his way to the byline before finding Gervinho who pulls his shot wide.
58 mins: Gareth Bale sends Adebayor one on one with Szczesny but the forward's shot is saved by the keeper.
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REACTION:
Harry Redknapp singled out Scott Parker for praise:
"It wasn't even easy for me to sign him. It wasn't easy from the chairman's point of view to sign him. He felt it was his age and length of contract.
"I understood the chairman's point of view. But I also knew that if we could get him, he would be a massive influence on the team - and that's what he's been."
On his side's steady improvement:
"I just felt after two or three weeks, I could see what was coming. I never went home and worried about it because I was confident.
"We had Adebayor coming in, we had Scott Parker. We had Sandro coming back. I knew we'd suddenly be a much better team."
On the abusive chants directed directed at Emmanuel Adebayor:
"It was digusting. There was some pretty disgusting chanting at me but that's life.
"How do you chant something like that to someone? You can't be right mentally. You need help.
"There are kids up there as well."
Arsene Wenger admitted his side cannot be regarded as title contenders at the moment:
"I think at the moment we have to set realistic targets like to say today we want to get in the Champions League positions. If we come back to a better position, at the moment we are 12 points behind Man United and Man City, that not realistic to say today we will win the league."
On his spat with Clive Allen:
"I shook the hand of the manager and the assistant manager. How many people do I have to shake hands with?"
WHAT IT MEANS:
Tottenham are the dominant club in north London at the moment and Redknapp's summer transfer business is beginning to take effect. Arsenal are badly short of confidence and Wenger will welcome the opportunity to regroup over the international break. The period after the break will define their season.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2 (Van der Vaart 40, Walker 73) ARSENAL 1 (Ramsey 51)
PLAYER MARKING:
Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-2): Friedel 6; Walker 7, Kaboul 7, King 6, Assou-Ekotto 6; Van der Vaart 7 (Sandro 6,63), Parker 9 (Corluka 6,89), Modric 6, Bale 6; Defoe 7, Adebayor 7 (Livermore 6,85).
Subs (not used): Cudicini, Pavlyuchenko, Dos Santos, Bassong.
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Szczesny 7; Sagna 6 (Jenkinson 6, 68), Mertesacker 7, Song 8, Gibbs 6; Coquelin 6, Ramsey 6; Walcott 6 (Benayoun 6,72), Arteta 6, Gervinho 6 (Arshavin 6,78); Van Persie 7.
Subs (not used): Fabianski, Park, Santos, Frimpong.
ATTENDANCE: Tbc
REFEREE: Mike Dean
NEXT UP:
- Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle United (away), Premier League 16/10, 1600 BST
- Arsenal v Sunderland (home), Premier League 16/10, 1330 BST
MAN OF THE MATCH:
Scott Parker (Tottenham Hotspur): Redknapp mused on Arsenal's failure to move for the midfielder this summer before the game. The question was even more pertinent after.
Tottenham v Arsenal Preview: Emmanuel Adebayor Faces Former Club
by Mike McGrathFiled under: Arsenal, Tottenham, Premier League, Football, Match Previews
PREMIER LEAGUE: WHITE HART LANE, SUNDAY OCTOBER 2, 2011. KICK-OFF 1600 BST
Last year it was William Gallas, but this season the focus will be on Emmanuel Adebayor when Tottenham face their bitter rivals Arsenal.
While Gallas left the Emirates Stadium and was signed by Harry Redknapp for the next campaign, Adebayor has joined Spurs via a spell at Manchester City and a loan at Real Madrid.
But that will not have softened the attitude of Gunners supporters after he ran the length of the pitch to taunt them with his celebration after scoring for City against his old club two years ago.
He felt fans had made him a scapegoat for his club's failings. And it got worse since he left. Still no trophies and now a start to the season where Arsene Wenger's methods have come under intense scrutiny.
Victory over Bolton has not masked the problems at Arsenal, who are short of confidence and have lost to Blackburn and Liverpool as well as getting thrashed at Manchester United.
Form is usually irrelevant when it comes to derby matches. And Arsenal will be looking for revenge after letting two-goal leads slip against their rivals twice last season.
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Key Match-up: Emmanuel Adebayor v Per Mertesacker: Adebayor has made an instant impact since arriving from City on loan. So far it is three goals from as many games and he has set up plenty of other chances with his powerful displays. Mertesacker arrived from Werder Bremen just before the transfer deadline passed and is still adjusting to life in the Premier League. Not been helped by joining a defence short on confidence.
Form Guide: Spurs have won three Premier League matches in a row and have improved after a poor start. Arsenal have recorded a trio of victories in all competitions but are still short of confidence and have not hit anything like their top form.
Odds: Tottenham 11/10, Arsenal 23/10, Draw 5/2
TOTTENHAM:
Tottenham manager Redknapp rested his key players in the Europa League this week to make sure they are ready to face Arsenal. He has backed Adebayor to rise to the occasion of facing his former club.
"It is another great opportunity for Emmanuel Adebayor to play for Tottenham," Redknapp said. "He has been playing well for us, the crowd love him and he has been a big bonus for us so far. His performances have been fantastic. Let's hope he can keep that up.
"There is always aggravation when players leave clubs but he will get on and hopefully play well. William Gallas played against Arsenal last year and for me was the man of the match.
"He showed his character last year in that game and I am sure Manu will do the same on Sunday."
Redknapp believes Arsenal will still mount a challenge for a top-four place this season, despite their poor start.
He added: "I would not write Arsenal off. And if you write Arsenal off in your newspaper you could be made to eat all those words. They are a good side with a great manager. Liverpool will be up there and so will Tottenham and I would not write any of us off.
"We keep talking about finishing fourth - who knows, we might not. We may finish third or second - it's not impossible."
Redknapp believes Ledley King could be important. The Spurs skipper will be asked how his knee feels on the eve of the game.
"He has been great since he played this season," Redknapp said. "He made a big impact in the last three league games and has been a top class player.
"He won't train again as usual and will come out on Saturday morning and hopefully have a little 15 minutes, do okay, and play on Sunday again. I'm sure he will be great for us."
Strategy: Gareth Bale will be asked to attack at pace, as will Aaron Lennon if he is passed fit. Adebayor then provides a more direct route to goal.
Injury Update: Gallas is struggling with a calf injury. Michael Dawson and Tom Huddlestone are out. Lennon is hoping to be fit after problems with his groin.
ARSENAL:
While Spurs have Adebayor, Robin van Persie will be the focal point of Arsenal's attack. He approaching his best, with five goals already this season.
"I am very demanding with Robin and he does as well as I expect him to," said Wenger. "He plays well with the team, with the other players, he finishes well, his finishing record is absolutely fantastic and he is not only a finisher.
On Van Persie's future and signing a new contract, Wenger added: "That depends on us and on him. On our side we are quite clear so that is no problem.
"I do not say there is no problem because it does not depend only on us but we are clear with our intention. After that you have to respect that he has nearly two years to go so let's not make an immediate issue of something like that. Two years in football is a very, very long time."
Wenger is hoping the win against Olympiacos in midweek will help build confidence.
He said: "Any victory will help us. I have always been optimistic because I feel that the players are mentally strong, focused, I am impressed by the quality of all the players we brought in, not only on the football pitch that I knew but also their mental attitude is absolutely fantastic.
"That's why even before the Bolton game I was very positive about our future. But that is what's at stake for us - to show we can deliver week-in week-out."
Strategy: They will attempt to dictate the pace of the game with their passing style. Van Persie will lead the attack and Mikel Arteta will pull the strings in midfield.
Injury Update: Wenger needs to check on Laurent Koscielny, Theo Walcott and Gervinho.
Wigan 1 Tottenham 2: Gareth Bale Helps Spurs to Victory
by Neil JohnstonFiled under: Tottenham, Wigan, Premier League, Football, Match Reports
Rafael van der Vaart and Gareth Bale scored their first league goals of the season as Tottenham clocked up a third straight top-flight win.
Despite the narrow scoreline, it was far too comfortable for Harry Redknapp's side as Wigan, who have now lost their last four, found themselves 2-0 down midway through the first half after some dreadful defending.
A howler by Maynor Figueroa gifted Van der Vaart a third minute goal before Bale's 23rd minute header ended the home side's six-game unbeaten run at home.
Mohamed Diame reduced the deficit early in the second half, but Wigan's hopes of a comeback ended when Steve Gohouri was sent off for a second bookable offence.
THE GOALS
3mins: Horrendous mistake by Figueroa allows Emmanuel Adebayor to square for Van der Vaart to lash his first Premier League goal of season into the top corner from 12-yards. Far too easy. (0-1)
23mins: Memories of that horrendous 9-1 defeat Martinez's Wigan suffered at White Hart Lane in November 2009 are flooding back as Bale's perfectly placed header from Luka Modric's corner doubles the lead midway through the first half. (0-2)
50mins: Hope for the home side as Diame finds the net after substitute Ronnie Stam had latched on to Benoit Assou-Ekotto's poor clearance. (1-2)
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
7mins: And that should have been 2-0. Adebayor presented with glorious chance but cannot keep his composure as he fires high over the bar when should have done much better.
15mins: More woeful defending from Wigan as Kyle Walker is allowed a free header from six-yards. Fortunately for the hosts, the full-back is unable to find the target.
28mins: Home fans cannot believe what they are seeing following a carbon copy move to the second goal. This time, however, Bale's header flies over the bar.
39mins: That's a fine save by Ali Al Habsi as he beats away Adebayor's powerful strike with the visitors still well on top.
62mins: And that looks like the end of Wigan's hopes of a comeback as Gohouri is given his marching orders after receiving a second yellow card.
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REACTION:
Redknapp was not happy after his side allowed Wigan a lifeline in the second half:
"It was complete domination in the first half. We could have come in three or four goals up at half time. I said to the player that they only way they were going to get back into the game is if you go and do something stupid and give them a goal.
"And that's exactly what we did. Their goal lifted them, and the fans went from giving them stick to getting behind them. The keeper's not really had too much to do but It was still too close for comfort in the end."
On the absence of Jermain Defoe due to an upset stomach:
"We sent him home this morning. We got a car to drive him back to London. He was really ill, he had a real high temperature."
On the way his team has responded after losing the first two matches:
"We've got a strong squad and I've got some good players. I think we'll only get better. We're going to be strong. It's three good points and it's now nine points out of nine. I never had any doubts because I have a really good team. I didn't have a fit midfield at the start of the season."
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez tried to stay positive after another defeat:
"It would have been very easy for the players to feel sorry for themselves after going 2-0 down. But we stopped Spurs from having momentum and coped well after the sending off."
On his team's slow start to the game:
"Tactically, we couldn't cope with Spurs in the first 45 minutes. We needed to develop our performance. It was a mistake that led to the first goal and the second was from a corner."
WHAT IT MEANS:
Tottenham's season goes from strength to strength. They demonstrated they can cope without striker Defoe, and head into next weekend's north London derby with Arsenal on the back of a good run of league form. Wigan quickly need to find a cure for their defensive problems - or get used to another long seaon of struggle.
WIGAN 1 (Diame 50) TOTTENHAM 2 (Van der Vaart 3, Bale 23)
PLAYER MARKING:
Wigan Athletic (4-1-4-1): Al Habsi 6; Gohouri 5, Caldwell 6, Figueroa 5, Van Aanholt 6; Watson 6 (McArthur 73, 5); Gomez 4 (Stam 46, 5), McCarthy 6, Diame 6, Moses 6; Di Santo 6 (Sammon 73, 5)
Subs (not used): Kirkland, Crusat, Maloney, Jones.
Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-2): Friedel 7; Walker 7, Kaboul 8, King 7, Assou-Ekotto 7; Modric 7, Parker 7, Sandro 7 (Livermore 90), Bale 7; Van der Vaart 7 (Giovani 78, 6) Adebayor 7.
Subs (not used): Cudicini, Bassong, Corluka, Townsend, Carroll.
REFEREE: Jonathan Moss
ATTENDANCE: 18,788
NEXT UP:
- Wigan v Aston Villa (away), Premier League, 01/10, 1500 BST
- Tottenham v Shamrock Rovers (home), Europa League, 29/09, 2005 BST
Wigan v Tottenham Preview: More to Come, Insists Emmanuel Adebayor
by Graham ChaseFiled under: Tottenham, Wigan, Premier League, Football, Match Previews
PREMIER LEAGUE: DW STADIUM, SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 2011. KICK-OFF: 1500 BST
The sour memories of Wigan's 9-1 hammering at White Hart Lane were largely eroded by picking up four points against Harry Redknapp's side last season.
After losing their opening two matches of the campaign, there was the 1-0 win at Spurs and they also had a goalless draw at the DW Stadium ahead of Tottenham's trip to Real Madrid.
With the transfer window closed, Redknapp will be hoping that the 4-0 hammering of Liverpool is a sign of things to come, while Roberto Martinez is desperate to get some points on the board.
The Latics' decent start has hit the buffers by being knocked out of the Carling Cup at Crystal Palace and Premier League defeats at Manchester City and Everton.
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Key Match-Up: Gary Caldwell v Emmanuel Adebayor. With Antolin Alcaraz, Emmerson Boyce and Steve Gohouri all out injured, Latics captain Caldwell will have a key role against Adebayor. The Togo striker, 27, has managed three goals in his first two appearances for Spurs.
Form Guide: Unbeaten in their first three matches of the season, Wigan have lost three on the trot. Since the 5-1 hammering by Manchester City, Spurs have not conceded in four games, including Premier League wins over Wolves and Liverpool.
Odds: Wigan 3/1, Tottenham 10/11, Draw 5/2.
WIGAN:
For a team that has generally struggled for any kind of consistency in recent years, Wigan have quietly built an unbeaten run that stretches back to February.
Martinez was angered by the capitulation in the 3-0 defeat at City but far happier with the display in the 3-1 loss at Everton, where his team were on level terms until the 84th minute.
The Spaniard rarely discusses his previous assertion that Wigan will definitely finish in the top half of the table but it says much for his team's progress that he expects to pick up three points against Spurs.
The DW Stadium has attracted criticism for so long but Martinez feels it is becoming a stronghold.
Martinez told the club's website: "It seems an eternity away when you play away games, with travelling and we were involved in the League Cup as well.
"It's a little bit of a combination. We feel at home and it's easy to say that 'We're playing at home' but that brings expectations but we believe in the manner that we play, the fans have been fantastic.
"It's easy to see the chemistry that we're getting with the fans, we always play on the front foot and want to control the games and dominate the games and that's been a very positive way to play from our point of view."
Martinez believes Redknapp has picked up the ideal formation and tactics to bring the best out of Adebayor.
"We all know he's an outstanding footballer," Martinez added. "He had great experiences when he went to Real Madrid and obviously Arsenal and Manchester city and he's still at the peak of his career. He's a handful in any system.
"But now he's surrounded by players that get the best out of him and he's working really, really hard with players like Jermain Defoe, Luka Modric and Scott Parker, with the service of Gareth Bale.
"That makes an outstanding combination so he's one of the outstanding players that Spurs have got in their squad."
Strategy: The absence of Hugo Rodallega gives Martinez problems with goal-scoring and some fans will worry about the quality he is able to field in the three-man attacking midfield line behind Franco Di Santo. He may push James McCarthy forward to support Jordi Gomez and Victor Moses, with Mohamed Diame or Hendry Thomas drafted into midfield.
Injury Update: Rodallega will be out for around six weeks with a knee problem sustained at Everton and defenders Alcaraz (thigh) and Boyce (hamstring) but Martinez may recall Gohouri after a calf problem.
TOTTENHAM:
Tottenham striker Adebayor, despite his goalscoring start since arriving on loan from Manchester City, admits he is yet to reach peak fitness.
"It was four months since I played and I think it will take two or three games to be fit," said Adebayor. "Fortunately I had the chance to score on my debut and that gave me more confidence.
"Now I have to keep playing my football. I can't say I'm nearly there because I have to keep working for two or three games.But I'll work hard in training and the rest will follow."
Adebayor was forced to train with the youth team while at City after falling out with manager Roberto Mancini, who is trying to win the league title this year and has started the season strongly.
He added: "Maybe they can get a few injuries. Maybe they will tired. I don't know. At the moment they are playing good football and it's good for everyone to watch on TV.
"At Tottenham we have to keep doing what we're doing. We have great players: Gareth Bale, Luka Modric, Niko Kranjcar, Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Jermain Defoe, I can mention many names.
"We just have to fight and believe we can be in the top four. If we believe we can, then we can do it."
Adebayor has suggested he would be willing to stay at White Hart Lane permanently.
He added: "I'm here for a year and have to enjoy myself. At the end of things the president, vice-president, manager, assistant manager, the fans, they will decide if they want me for another year. At the moment I am here for another year and there is no pressure at all."
Strategy: Spurs will want to pick up where they left off against Liverpool, attacking with pace from all areas. They have pace down the flanks but can also go through the middle.
Injury Update: Michael Dawson, William Gallas, Aaron Lennon and Tom Huddlestone are out.
London Clubs in Manchester’s Shadow as Battle to Finish Top in the Capital Hots Up
by Mike McGrathFiled under: Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Premier League, Football
Mini-battles have started in the Premier League already, starting at the top where Manchester United and Manchester City have already shared 38 goals in their first five games.
Other teams will get sucked into a relegation battle, some have Champions League qualification ambitions. Everybody will have something to play for when the campaign heads into 2012.
With Manchester dominating the top, there is new contest to see who will finish top in the capital. It looks like Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham will running a close race to see who will be London's leader.
"If we keep doing well on the pitch, then we are a match for any team," said Spurs defender Younes Kaboul in the Evening Standard. "Can we finish as the top club in London? Yes, we can."
The odds are that United and City will remain in the top two places. They have the strongest squads in the league and it is theirs to lose.
Looking at the benches, even Chelsea are short of the Manchester clubs in terms of quality in depth. And has a team ever won a title with a player in such wretched form as Fernando Torres?
It would take the most dramatic surges of self-confidence for the Spaniard to inspire a championship charge and shake off his tag of being a £50 million misfit.
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"It's right that people are excited because of the amount of goals (United and City have scored)," said Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas. "Chelsea started 6-0, 6-0 last season and then it didn't happen. The impact on the rest of the season can be decisive or not."
Spurs did nothing in their first two games of the season, against United and City, to suggest they will be title challengers, even if their victory over Liverpool revived their hopes of finishing in the top four.
"We're certainly going to be challenging," said Spurs manager Harry Redknapp. "There's no doubt about that. I like the look of us. We've players coming back as well and we'll be strong. It will be tight. Stoke, Everton, Sunderland, whoever, they'll be pushing but I think there's probably six pushing for the top four and we'll certainly be one of those."
If Redknapp got the signings he wanted over the summer - including Giuseppe Rossi from Villarreal - then Spurs may have been challenging City and United. For now they are battling to get back in the Champions League, while Arsenal are fighting to stay there after their terrible start to the campaign.
"Arsenal have lost many players and it seems like they are having a bad time in the Premier League, although we never know with teams like that when they will wake up," Kaboul said.
Redknapp added: "Arsenal will improve, key players will come back like Jack Wilshere and Thomas Vermaelen, who make a big difference.
"Sometimes everything goes wrong and against Blackburn everything that could go wrong did go wrong - two own goals and missing a lot of chances."
They would settle for a top-four place at the moment. But the bottom line is that a title battle is remote. "I can understand that people are unhappy and criticise, but you know as well as I know people are very quick to go overboard," explained Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.
It will be seven years without a trophy if they go empty handed again. But finishing top in London at least gives them something to work towards as they get back on track. The chances are it will be the only thing left to play for as United and City wrestle for the top.
Tottenham 4 Liverpool 0: Two Red Cards for Visitors and Two Goals for Emmanuel Adebayor
by Mike McGrathFiled under: Liverpool, Tottenham, Premier League, Football, Match Reports
Liverpool had two players sent off at White Hart Lane as Tottenham powered to victory following a spectacular early goal from Luka Modric.
Modric's goal came in the sixth minute when the ball for him 25 yards from goal after a long passing move. The midfielder hit his first-time effort into the top corner, with the ball still rising as it hit the net.
It got worse for Liverpool when Charlie Adam received two yellow cards in 16 minutes. The first was for hauling down Modric and the second for a wild tackle on Scott Parker.
Dalglish, who has complained about refereeing decisions this season, was furious with Mike Jones after Luis Suarez had a goal disallowed and was also one of three other first-half bookings.
Martin Skrtel's dismissal came when he picked up a second booking when he went through the back of Gareth Bale on the right flank. Jermain Defoe scored another and Emmanuel Adebayor added two other goals for the hosts.
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THE GOALS
6 mins: Defoe is tackled on the edge of the area and the ball falls 25 yards from goal, with Modric curling into the top corner.
66 mins: Defoe receives the ball 40 yards from goal, spins around his marker and finishes into the near post.
68 mins: Defoe's shot is spilled and Adebayor flicks the ball over the goalkeeper before tapping in.
90 mins: Adebayor found in the penalty area and he sends in half-volley.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
2 mins: Niko Kranjcar plays Adebayor through on goal but the striker's finish is wide of the post.
14 mins: Modric attempts a low placed shot into the corner, but Pepe Reina is down well.
28 mins: Adam is dismissed after a second booking, for a studs-up challenge on Scott Parker.
46 mins: Defoe plants the ball wide after being sent through by Adebayor.
62 mins: Skrtel picks up his second yellow card and has to be ushered off the pitch by the referee.
REACTION
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish blamed his team's poor start as much as he blamed the referee:
"We started the game short of the level we have been recently. They started better than us and obviously Modric scores a great goal and got them in front, Daniel Agger gets injured in the process and it's a great finish. It was the start of our downfall."
On the referee's decisions:
"We will just stick to what we can dictate. We cannot dictate interpretation in any way shape or form. It's better to just leave it. We have a very good record for discipline. That's why it's best unsaid because it takes away from a performance from Tottenham."
On how they will respond to defeat:
"We will look at the video and if there is something wrong we can correct it. You never saw Liverpool players running to the referee to dispute a decision, so there is no discipline problem."
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp felt the first sending off could have worked against his team:
"We started the game well and when the sending off came I didn't want it to happen, we were way on top and I thought it could change the game. It can change attitudes and the crowd can get frustrated.
On Skrtel's dismissal:
"The right-back had problems with Gareth, I have no sympathy, he already had a yellow card and you don't lift a guy up on the halfway line. What's the point in doing that? What's the problem.
On Adam's dismissal:
"I don't know if Charlie Adam had an eye on the ball, I can't see him trying to do him. He's not that kind of lad. He could have hurt Scott Parker badly. He hung a leg out maybe and I would give him the benefit of the doubt."
WHAT IT MEANS
Tottenham have real momentum in their bid to finish in the top four of the Premier League. Liverpool suffer a setback, and they continue to feel aggrieved by refereeing decisions.
TOTTENHAM 4 (Modric 6, Defoe 66, Adebayor 68, 90) LIVERPOOL 0
PLAYER MARKING
Tottenham (4-4-2): Friedel 6; Walker 7, King 8 (Bassong 84), Kaboul 7, Assou-Ekotto 7; Kranjcar 7 (Van der Vaart 46, 7), Parker 7, Modric 9, Bale 8; Defoe 8 (Giovani 84), Adebayor 9.
Subs (not used): Cudicini, Pavlyuchenko, Corluka, Livermore.
Liverpool: (4-1-3-2): Reina 5; Skrtel 5, Agger 6 (Coates 27, 6), Carragher 5, Enrique 6; Lucas 7; Downing 5 (Spearing 70, 6), Henderson 6, Adam 4; Carroll 6, Suarez 6 (Bellamy 70, 6).
Subs (not used): Doni, Maxi, Kuyt, Robinson.
REFEREE: Mike Jones
ATTENDANCE: TBA
NEXT UP:
- Tottenham v Stoke (away), Carling Cup, 20/09, 1945 BST
- Liverpool v Brighton (away), Carling Cup, 21/09. 1945 BST
MAN OF THE MATCH:
Luka Modric (Tottenham): Pulled the strings for Spurs with his all-action display in central midfield, always wanting the ball and using it sensibly. Fantastic strike for the opener.
Premier League Text Commentary: Tottenham v Liverpool As It Happened
by Jacob SteinbergFiled under: Liverpool, Tottenham, Premier League, Football, Min-By-Min Reports
Minute-by-minute commentary from White Hart Lane.
Phil Jones is Already One of the Signings of the Season at Manchester United
by John PercyFiled under: Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham, Premier League, Football
While Sir Alex Ferguson continues to castigate the media for their apparent agenda against David De Gea, another of Manchester United's new signings cannot have made a more impressive start to life at Old Trafford.
The jury may still be out on De Gea but Phil Jones already appears to be one of Ferguson's shrewdest recruits in years and a player that will leave a lasting legacy when the United manager finally decides to pack it in.
Jones has epitomised the best start to a United season since 1985 with a string of colossal performances at the back, embracing the challenge of playing for a huge club with ease and clearly relishing the opportunity to perform on such a stage.
Many eyebrows were raised when Ferguson paid out £16 million to take him from Blackburn Rovers in the summer but he already looks a snip at that price.
Such astronomical transfer fees are the going rate for teenagers with talent these days and Jones has already proved with both United and England this season that he has a long career ahead of him.
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His performance against Chelsea was another test passed in his introduction to life at the Theatre of Dreams and Ferguson will know that the 19-year-old will only get better.
Fernando Torres may have had one of his more impressive afternoons in a Chelsea shirt on Sunday but Jones still kept him relatively quiet, reading the game superbly like a player who has been around far longer.
It hasn't been just his displays at the back either. The 19-year-old was used as a midfielder in his last few months at Blackburn and his surging runs towards the opposing penalty area have not been reined in by his defensive duties.
Against Chelsea he made a telling contribution for the third goal with a powerful driving run that has almost become a trademark already.
Ferguson will not be shy to play Jones in midfield this season either, so his versatility is further proof of his value for money.
Tottenham 4 Liverpool 0: Two Red Cards for Visitors and Two Goals for Emmanuel Adebayor
by Mike McGrathFiled under: Liverpool, Tottenham, Premier League, Football, Match Reports
Liverpool had two players sent off at White Hart Lane as Tottenham powered to victory following a spectacular early goal from Luka Modric.
Modric's goal came in the sixth minute when the ball for him 25 yards from goal after a long passing move. The midfielder hit his first-time effort into the top corner, with the ball still rising as it hit the net.
It got worse for Liverpool when Charlie Adam received two yellow cards in 16 minutes. The first was for hauling down Modric and the second for a wild tackle on Scott Parker.
Dalglish, who has complained about refereeing decisions this season, was furious with Mike Jones after Luis Suarez had a goal disallowed and was also one of three other first-half bookings.
Martin Skrtel's dismissal came when he picked up a second booking when he went through the back of Gareth Bale on the right flank. Jermain Defoe scored another and Emmanuel Adebayor added two other goals for the hosts.
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THE GOALS
6 mins: Defoe is tackled on the edge of the area and the ball falls 25 yards from goal, with Modric curling into the top corner.
66 mins: Defoe receives the ball 40 yards from goal, spins around his marker and finishes into the near post.
68 mins: Defoe's shot is spilled and Adebayor flicks the ball over the goalkeeper before tapping in.
90 mins: Adebayor found in the penalty area and he sends in half-volley in.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
2 mins: Niko Kranjcar plays Adebayor through on goal but the striker's finish is wide of the post.
14 mins: Modric attempts a low placed shot into the corner, but Pepe Reina is down well.
28 mins: Adam is dismissed after a second booking, for a studs-up challenge on Scott Parker.
46 mins: Defoe plants the ball wide after being sent through by Adebayor.
62 mins: Skrtel picks up his second yellow card and has to be ushered off the pitch by the referee.
TO COME: ALL THE REACTION
WHAT IT MEANS
Tottenham have real momentum in their bid to finish in the top four of the Premier League. Liverpool suffer a setback, and they continue to feel aggrieved by refereeing decisions.
TOTTENHAM 4 (Modric 6, Defoe 66, Adebayor 68, 90) LIVERPOOL 0
PLAYER MARKING
Tottenham (4-4-2): Friedel 6; Walker 7, King 8 (Bassong 84), Kaboul 7, Assou-Ekotto 7; Kranjcar 7 (Van der Vaart 46, 7), Parker 7, Modric 9, Bale 8; Defoe 8 (Giovani 84), Adebayor 9.
Subs (not used): Cudicini, Pavlyuchenko, Corluka, Livermore.
Liverpool: (4-1-3-2): Reina 5; Skrtel 5, Agger 6 (Coates 27, 6), Carragher 5, Enrique 6; Lucas 7; Downing 5 (Spearing 70, 6), Henderson 6, Adam 4; Carroll 6, Suarez 6 (Bellamy 70, 6).
Subs (not used): Doni, Maxi, Kuyt, Robinson.
REFEREE: Mike Jones
ATTENDANCE: TBA
NEXT UP:
- Tottenham v Stoke (away), Carling Cup, 20/09, 1945 BST
- Liverpool v Brighton (away), Carling Cup, 21/09. 1945 BST
MAN OF THE MATCH:
Luka Modric (Tottenham): Pulled the strings for Spurs with his all-action display in central midfield, always wanting the ball and using it sensibly. Fantastic strike for the opener.
Tottenham v Liverpool Preview: Jamie Carragher Receives Dalglish Backing
by Mike McGrathFiled under: Liverpool, Tottenham, Premier League, Football, Match Previews
PREMIER LEAGUE: WHITE HART LANE, SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2011. KICK-OFF 1330 BST
Kenny Dalglish has been upset with referees recently so the focus will be on Mike Jones when Liverpool travel to White Hart Lane and face Tottenham.
Dalglish believes decisions have gone against his team this season, and he was particularly angered in Liverpool's last game when Stoke defeated them with a disputed penalty at the Britannia Stadium.
Both Spurs and Liverpool have ambitions of breaking back into the top four of the Premier League and view each other as direct rivals for entry into the Champions League.
Harry Redknapp's Spurs team dropped into the Europa League following their fifth-placed finish last season but their priority is in domestic football.
Redknapp rested all but one of his players for their clash in Greece against PAOK with the meeting with Dalglish's side in mind, as his team look for a fifth straight home win against Liverpool.
Spurs are looking to build on their win over Wolves last weekend, while Liverpool's defeat at Stoke was their first of the season during a promising start to their campaign.
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Key Match-up: Scott Parker v Charlie Adam: Parker has arrived from West Ham and enjoyed a fine debut against Wolves. He has added steel to the midfield. Adam will be head-to-head against Parker in central areas. Spurs almost signed Adam from Blackpool last season but the paperwork was not completed in time.
Form Guide: Spurs have not hit top form yet. They were not helped by their opening game being postponed due to the London riots, then their next two games being against Manchester United and Manchester City. Liverpool have recorded victories against Arsenal and Bolton but also dropped points when they faced Sunderland.
Odds: Tottenham 8/5, Liverpool 7/4, Draw 9/4
TOTTENHAM:
Tottenham manager Redknapp will have Brad Friedel back in goal in place of Carlo Cudicini. Heurelho Gomes has been out of favour and will play in the Carling Cup next week.
"Brad Friedel has been fantastic," said Redknapp. "At the moment, in the Premier League, Brad has the jersey. I think he's been magnificent. I'm lucky. We've got three top goalkeepers here.
"Gomes will get games. I will play him at Stoke in the Carling Cup next Tuesday."
Redknapp also wants to play Ledley King in defence but the Spurs captain will need a late check on his knee before a decision is made.
King has been told by Redknapp he needs to play around 20 games this season to earn a new contract, which the 30-year-old believes it is possible.
"It was a total nightmare last season trying to get the groin right, so I worked hard over the summer and coming into this season, it feels a lot better than it did," King told the London Evening Standard.
"I hope I'm just back to concentrating on looking after the knee now and hopefully nothing else will crop up. If I can just manage the knee, there is no reason I can't play quite regularly."
Strategy: Redknapp will select and attacking line-up with an emphasis on using the pace of Gareth Bale. They play a high-tempo, especially at home.
Injury Update: Rafael van der Vaart could return from a hamstring injury, King will be assessed. William Gallas, Michael Dawson, Sandro and Steven Pienaar are among those ruled out.
LIVERPOOL:
Kenny Dalglish has no intention of dropping Jamie Carragher despite a mixed start to the season by the long-serving defender.
Carragher will move above "Anfield Iron" Tommy Smith into outright sixth place on the club's all-time league appearance list this weekend if he plays his 468th league game.
But there has been speculation about his place in the side after Carragher conceded the penalty which allowed Jonathan Walters to score Stoke's winner last week.
And it was Carragher's mistake that allowed Ivan Klasnic to score Bolton's consolation in the previous game.
"Nobody will get picked for their history," said manager Dalglish. "The people who have been involved with the club for a long time would expect that. They would not want it.
"They have got extremely high standards set for themselves. "If they didn't, they wouldn't be here and wouldn't have had the success they have had.
"Jamie Carragher will do me just fine the way he is.
"I don't know what I can say to you about him because there is nothing that I would like to change about him."
Startegy: All of a sudden the pressure is on to avoid a second straight defeat. Liverpool have lost on their last four league and cup visits to White Hart Lane yet they possess the firepower to overcome the hosts in the shape of Luis Suarez. Dalglish needs to prove that lessons have been learnt from the Stoke defeat. Moaning about the referee's performance will not do.
Injury Update: Steven Gerrard has an outside chance of making the substitutes bench. However, Dalglish is likely to ease the midfielder back from his prolonged groin injury against Brighton in the Carling Cup next week. Martin Kelly is likely to feature as Glen Johnson (hamstring) has not trained.