Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham: Who will pick up their first three points of 2010?
Spurs missed out on a glorious opportunity to boost their Champions League hopes and kill off one of their main rivals in the process when they lost to Liverpool last Wednesday. Tonight they aim to consolidate their position in fourth place with victory over a Fulham side who they have only defeated once in the league in the past four seasons.
Harry Redknapp welcomes Roy Hodgson’s side to the Lane as Spurs seek their first league win of the calendar year. An inspired Boaz Myhill thwarted Tottenham in their last home league game and Jermaine Beckford’s late penalty denied them victory in a pulsating cup clash on Saturday. Can they record their first league win of 2010 against Fulham?
The Cottagers booked their place in the fifth round of the FA Cup by overcoming the potential banana skin of Accrington Stanley on Saturday, but, like Spurs, they are still searching for their first league win of the year. Since thrashing the champions at the Cottage in December the Cottagers have picked up just one point from a possible 12. Unfortunately for Spurs that point came against them.
The west London club deserve huge credit for balancing their domestic and European commitments and Roy Hodgson has worked wonders since arriving at the Cottage two years ago. However, their form away from home continues to be a problem. Their only win on the road this season came on the opening day of the campaign against Portsmouth and they have only picked up just four points since.
Tottenham’s home form has been decent enough with only Manchester United, Stoke City and Wolves leaving the capital with all three points but that draw against Hull City could be crucial come May. One thing’s for sure, they can ill afford to drop any more points tonight.
This is a crucial period for Tottenham’s top four aspirations and they will be desperate to get three points on the board before travelling to in-form Birmingham City and then entertaining Champions League hopefuls Aston Villa in the next few weeks.
Tottenham haven’t triumphed over Fulham since thrashing them 5-1 on Boxing Day in 2007, just four days before the Hodgson era began. Braces by Robbie Keane, Tom Huddlestone and a late strike by Jermain Defoe ensured Spurs fans stayed in the festive mood, but since then Hodgson has had the upper hand. Will this be the day though that Redknapp finally gets one over on Hodgson? The Panel certainly thinks so.
