Tottenham Hotspur v Cardiff City
Wembley Stadium
Saturday 6th October 2018, ko 3:00pm.
Early team news:
Tottenham will have five first-team players unavailable when they take on Cardiff in the Premier League on Saturday, with an ever-growing injury list.
It was confirmed on Friday that Jan Vertonghen (hamstring) will be out for around six weeks, joining Christian Eriksen (abdominal), Mousa Dembele (thigh), Dele Alli (hamstring) and Serge Aurier (thigh) on the sidelines.
Some good news for Tottenham is the return of Michel Vorm to training, and he could be included in the squad on Saturday.
Junior Hoilett has recovered from illness to take his place in the Cardiff squad. He missed Sunday's 2-1 home defeat to Burnley with a virus but has trained fully this week.
Aron Gunnarsson (knee) remains out, but Bluebirds boss Warnock is hopeful the Iceland midfielder might be available for the visit of Fulham after the international break.
The Managers:
Mauricio Pochettino
"The most difficult game is the game that everyone believes, outside of the team, that you must win. For us it's so important to be motivated at the same level. If not we're going to struggle."
Neil Warnock:
“Barcelona were there on Wednesday night, and next up: Cardiff City. It’s fantastic that we’ve got to this stage, but I don’t want us to go there for a day out.
“I wan’t us to give them a game if we can. It is a fabulous stadium though, and a great treat for the fans.
“We’re all in it together and I know it sounds silly, but it’s almost like a family. It’s great for the players, because the fans know they’re giving everything.
“I can’t remember it happening anywhere else - and they’ll out-shout the Tottenham fans on Saturday, no matter how many are there.”
Match Stats:
- This will be the third Premier League meeting between Spurs and Cardiff, with Spurs winning both matches 1-0 during the 2013-14 season.
- Cardiff are winless in seven matches against Spurs in all competitions (W0 D2 L5), scoring just once in those matches, a Paul Went goal in a 2-1 league defeat in January 1978.
- Spurs have won their last seven home matches in all competitions against Cardiff, scoring 19 goals and conceding just five.
- This will be Cardiff's first game at Wembley Stadium since the 2012 League Cup final against Liverpool - the Bluebirds lost on penalties following a 2-2 draw.
- Tottenham are unbeaten in 37 Premier League games against promoted sides (W34 D3) since losing vs QPR in April 2012. The run is the second longest of its kind in the Premier League, after Chelsea's record of 63 between May 2001 and September 2011.
- Spurs lost their last home league game against Liverpool - they've not lost back-to-back Premier League home games since May 2015, vs Aston Villa and Man City at White Hart Lane.
- Cardiff are winless in their seven Premier League games so far this season - only twice in their history have they failed to win any of their first eight games to a league campaign (1964-65 in the second tier and 1989-90 in the third division).
- Tottenham striker Harry Kane has scored against 26 of the 27 different sides he's faced in the Premier League. The only side he's yet to find the net against are Cardiff - he played just 16 minutes against them across two games in the 2013-14 campaign.
The Officials:
Referee: Mike Dean
Assistants: Darren Cann, Dan Robathan
Fourth official: Paul Tierney