Everton v Tottenham

Last updated : 04 January 2011 By BBC Sport

Tottenham have concerns over the fitness of right-back Alan Hutton after he limped off during the New Year's Day win over Fulham.

Striker Jermain Defoe and defender Younes Kaboul are still unavailable due to suspension.

Everton

Doubtful: Heitinga (knee)

Injured: Barkley (leg)

Tottenham Suspended: Defoe (one match), Kaboul (two matches)

Doubtful: Keane (hamstring)

Injured: Cudicini (shoulder), Huddlestone (ankle), King (groin), O'Hara (back)

MATCH PREVIEW

Everton have traditionally been labelled slow starters to a season, but this campaign is proving to be more pedestrian than most.

We've got every chance [to win the league]. There are lots of teams in it. Man City have had another win and United got the win at West Brom, so it's open

Tottenham captain Michael Dawson

With just one victory in their last 10 matches, the Toffees are stuck in 13th place and are just three points clear of the relegation zone. Midfielder Tim Cahill, one of the few players to emerge with credit this season, is now absent at the Asian Cup with Australia, denying manager David Moyes his top scorer and his side's only real goal threat so far. In fact, they have scored as many goals through their own net as they have managed to put past the opposition in their last three games.

In contrast, Harry Redknapp's Tottenham side are flying. Unbeaten in their last 11 matches, they have even managed to keep back-to-back clean sheets, thanks in part to the return of Michael Dawson to shore up their previously porous defence.

This match pits arguably the two form left-sided players in the league against each other. Leighton Baines has been outstanding for Everton this season and has buried the ghost of his World Cup snub, while the performances of Tottenham's Gareth Bale has seen his status upgraded to world class.

Two goals over the Christmas period lifted his tally for the season to 11. Few defenders have been able to shackle the Welsh winger, but the wily skills of Phil Neville neutralised his threat at White Hart Lane in October with a defensive display that turned him into a surprise hit on social networking side Twitter as fans lauded his performance.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Everton have not won any of their last six home matches against Tottenham since a 3-1 victory in April 2004. This is their longest current run without a home victory against another Premier League club.

• They have met 37 times in the Premier League. Everton have won five, Tottenham 18 and there have been 14 draws.

• Everton manager David Moyes has only ever lost three of 15 league matches against teams managed by Harry Redknapp.

Have your say on this match

Everton

• Everton have lost 99 Premier League matches at Goodison Park.

• The Toffees have only managed to win two of their last nine home games.

• They have scored an own goal in three successive games, two of them from defender Phil Jagielka.

Tottenham

• The club have not won on any of their last six visits to Merseyside to play either Everton or Liverpool.

• Manager Harry Redknapp has won only one of 27 visits to the city of Liverpool as a manager - his only ever win was Portsmouth's 3-0 success at Everton in August 2008.

• Tottenham have only managed to claim back-to-back away victories twice in the league under Harry Redknapp.

LEADING GOALSCORERS

Everton

Cahill: 9 goals (9 league); Arteta: 3 goals (3 league); Beckford & Coleman: 3 goals (2 league)

Tottenham

Bale: 11 goals (7 league); Van der Vaart: 10 goals (8 league)

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Lee Probert

Assistant referees: Stuart Burt & David Richardson

Fourth official: Peter Walton

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS

Everton (L0-2 v Stoke, a): Howard, Neville (Anichebe 66), Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Coleman, Fellaini, Cahill, Arteta (Osman 66), Pienaar, Saha (Beckford 79). Subs not used: Mucha, Hibbert, Bilyaletdinov, Rodwell.

Tottenham (W1-0 v Fulham, h): Gomes, Hutton (Corluka 27), Gallas, Dawson, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Palacios, Modric, Bale, Pavlyuchenko (Crouch 66), Van der Vaart (Jenas 83). Subs not used: Pletikosa, Bassong, Kranjcar, Sandro.

Source: BBC Sport

Source: BBC Sport