Premier League preview: Tottenham v Swansea City

Tottenham Hotspur will be gunning for back-to-back home wins to move back into the top four, starting with Swansea City on Sunday.

Andre Villas-Boas’ side tasted defeat for the first time in six games with an agonising late 2-1 reverse at Everton on Sunday.

Two goals in stoppage time proved harsh on Tottenham, who will have felt they were on track for a well-earned late win at Goodison Park when Clint Dempsey’s strike went in on 76 minutes.

Instead, Everton took fourth place on the English Premier League table, joining Spurs on 26 points but sitting ahead courtesy of a better goal difference.

Injuries to left-sided players Gareth Bale and regular full-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto are starting to take their toll, a double blow compounded by the decision to allow back-up Danny Rose out on loan at Sunderland, where he has excelled.

The absence of the trio has forced Villas-Boas to field nominal centre-back Jan Vertonghen at left fullback, with creaking veteran William Gallas seeing more game time than many Spurs fans would like.

Still, Tottenham have developed well this season with Villas-Boas integrating several new players and a fresh style of play, and they have cause for confidence ahead of winnable fixtures against Swansea, Stoke, Aston Villa and Sunderland.

Michael Laudrup’s Swansea, meanwhile, fell to their first defeat in eight games at home to Norwich in a 4-3 defeat on Saturday.

Norwich came into the clash on the back of a seven-game undefeated streak and thoroughly dominated the first half to take a 3-0 lead into the break.

Michu scored his 11th and 12th league goal of the season to ensure a nervy finish and further highlighted his status as the bargain buy of the season.

The Spaniard has been central to much of Swansea’s fine play this season, helping them to eighth place, and is courting plenty of interest back in Spain after his two million-pound transfer from Rayo Vallecano.

That interest has prompted Laudrup to plant a hefty 30 million-pound pricetag on his head, meaning the Welsh club are set to cash in if any of the big guns can prize Michu away from the Liberty Stadium.