Premier League Preview: Newcastle United v Tottenham

Tottenham have a chance to earn a first league win at St James’ Park for nearly a decade when they face out-of-sorts Newcastle United.

Tim Sherwood’s men are on a fine run of form, losing just two of the last 13 Premier League matches, but now head to a ground where they struggled all too often.

Tottenham’s last league win at Newcastle came way back in August 2004, and the White Hart Lane outfit are winless in their last seven Premier League trips to St James’ Park.

Newcastle have claimed victory in five of those encounters, however, the hosts head into this one in dismal form having won only one of their previous seven Premier League games.

Alan Pardew’s men have failed to score in six of those games and is unable to call on a host of players.

Defender Mathieu Debuchy will miss out after picking up a calf injury in the 3-0 defeat at Chelsea on Saturday, while striker Loic Remy serves the final game of a three-match suspension.

Cheick Tiote (hamstring) and captain Fabricio Coloccini (knee) are still on the sidelines, but striker Papiss Cisse (back), forward Yoan Gouffran (knock) and winger Gabriel Obertan (knee) could return.

Meanwhile, Tottenham may again be without Vlad Chiriches (back) and Sandro (calf) after the pair missed Sunday’s 1-0 win over Everton.

Winger Erik Lamela (thigh) is also out of action for fifth-placed Tottenham, who beat Everton on Sunday and will have designs on keeping pace with Liverpool in the race for the final UEFA Champions League spot with a long-awaited triumph at Newcastle.

Newcastle will be desperate for a win to end a miserable run, the low point of which was a 3-0 humbling at the hands of local rivals Sunderland.

The hosts could do the double over Tottenham after a 1-0 success at White Hart Lane last November, and head coach Sherwood is anticipating another difficult visit to Tyneside.

“It (Newcastle) is a tough place to go, it always is,” Sherwood said.

“I’m hoping it is difficult for those players to play at home in front of their crowd because I am not sure what the mood is like up there.

“But it will be a big crowd again and we will see if they have got any characters up there.”