Early News

Ledley King's ongoing knee problem is likely to prevent the Tottenham captain from playing a second match in three days after featuring against FC Twente.

Vedran Corluka and Sebastien Bassong will therefore be paired in central defence, while Benoit Assou-Ekotto could feature at left-back.

Aston Villa pair John Carew and Richard Dunne have recovered from back and knee injuries respectively.

Gabriel Agbonlahor misses out and must undergo a minor groin operation.

Tottenham

Doubtful: King (knee)

Injured: Dawson (knee & ankle), Defoe (ankle), Gallas & Woodgate (both groin), Kaboul (hamstring), O'Hara (back)

Aston Villa

Injured: Agbonlahor (groin), Delph (knee), Weimann (ankle)

Having given plenty against Twente, can Tottenham summon the energy to vanquish Villa and reassert their top-four credentials?
Spurs fans were singing in the rain during the midweek Champions League victory, but the club need to guard against a domestic damp squib.

Although the perception that Tottenham struggle in post-European matches is a little unfair, there is no denying they were laboured at home in defeat by Wigan and victory over Wolves.

Villa could be welcome opponents. They have only won this fixture once in a decade, and their new manager also has an unenviable record at White Hart Lane: Gerard Houllier's first ever Premier League away defeat came at Tottenham, in December 1998, and he has lost five of his six previous league visits.

Houllier has started his Villa reign with successive victories. The Frenchman has praised the character of the squad he inherited, and they will need to show plenty of that if they are to upset Spurs and Chelsea in their next two games.

Head-to-head

• Villa's only win in their last 10 visits to White Hart Lane was a 2-1 victory in September 2008 (W1, D5, L4).

• Harry Redknapp is unbeaten in eight league matches against Aston Villa since his Portsmouth side lost 1-0 at Villa Park in March 2006.

Tottenham

• Spurs are attempting to avoid back-to-back league defeats for the first time in 11 months since losing at home to Stoke and away to Arsenal.

• They have earned eight points from six matches - four fewer than at the same stage last season.

• Tottenham have only been ahead at half time in one of their six league fixtures this season.

• They have conceded once in each of their last five league matches. This is their longest run without a clean sheet since conceding in each of their opening six games last season.

Aston Villa

• Villa are vying for successive wins for the first time since winning three in a row in April.

• They have conceded 12 goals in their last four away matches.

• Emile Heskey has scored in back-to-back club appearances for the first time since April 2008. He has now scored four goals in his last five matches under Gerard Houllier.

• Ashley Young will be making his 150th Premier League appearance.


LEADING GOALSCORERS


Tottenham

Pavlyuchenko: 4 goals (1 league);
Crouch: 4 goals (0 league)



Aston Villa

Downing: 3 goals (3 league);
Heskey & A Young: 3 goals (1 league)


MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Mark Clattenburg

Assistant referees: Jake Collin & Scott Ledger

Fourth official: Stuart Attwell