Tottenham v Bolton preview

Redknapp: Expected to be at Bolton game

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Skysports.com prediction: Spurs 1 Bolton 2

SKY BET odds: Spurs 10/11, Draw 12/5, Bolton 3/1

One to Watch: Juande Ramos

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Following the shock dismissal of Juande Ramos, Spurs' clash with Bolton will herald the start of the Harry Redknapp era.

The Spaniard was sacked after just a year at the helm at White Hart Lane and Redknapp seems likely to address the players ahead of the Trotters' visit.

Spurs have stumbled through the worst-ever start to a league season in their history, having taken just two points from their opening eight games, and look utterly devoid of ideas as to how to stop the rot.

Their Uefa Cup defeat to Udinese on Thursday only served to add to their woes with goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes adding another gaffe to his early-season collection.

Finally, there seems to be an acceptance from the Spurs players and management that they are already a substantial distance up a well-known creek with the paddles nowhere to be seen.

Ramos admitted that the latest defeat in Italy left him 'very angry', Jonathan Woodgate warned his team-mates they are looking worse than the Leeds team he left before relegation, while David Bentley's blunt assessment was that their start to the season had been 'a bit s***'.

In the wake of such damning statistics, Spurs have not turned to Redknapp to steer them to safer waters.

Statistics

Bolton manager Gary Megson is unlikely to care one iota about the predicament facing his opposite number and will be focused solely on lifting the Trotters further away from the drop zone.

Last season's relegation battle remains fresh in the memory for many at the Reebok Stadium and just two wins from their opening eight games sees them just one point above the bottom three.

It is said you can prove anything with statistics, but the evidence mounting up against Tottenham is damning to say the least, and with games against Arsenal and Liverpool looming on the horizon, Spurs have little room to manoeuvre.

Spurs have won none and lost five of their last eight league games at White Hart Lane, they have not led at any point in their last nine Premier League matches, have scored with just six per cent of their attempts on goal this season and, most worryingly, have three fewer points than Derby did at this stage last term.

The last thing they need at this stage is a defensive crisis, but there are a host of injury, suspension and form concerns to contend with.

Team news

Gareth Bale and Michael Dawson are suspended after their red cards in the defeat at Stoke, while Vedran Corluka is set to return after his worrying head injury at the Britannia Stadium saw him hospitalised.

Jonathan Woodgate was substituted against Udinese with an apparent groin problem, Ledley King is usually unable to play twice in the space of a few days, Gomes is playing at a level some way below the one which saw Paul Robinson dropped and shipped out this summer, although Tom Huddlestone is back after a knee complaint.

Roman Pavlyuchenko was ineligible for European duty but returns after proving his fitness following an ankle injury with Spurs in desperate need of an answer to their goal-scoring woes.

Megson has also seen his Bolton side struggle in front of goal, but will stick with his strike partnership of Johan Elmander and Kevin Davies for the trip to North London.

The Trotters drew a blank last time out in their home stalemate against Blackburn and record signing Elmander has just one goal to show following his move to the Reebok Stadium.

The Sweden international spent time on the sidelines with a hamstring injury earlier in the season and Megson is confident the goals will begin to flow once Elmander receives more support from midfield.

Possible starting XIs

Tottenham: Gomes, Hutton, Corluka, Woodgate, Zokora, Modric, Jenas, O'Hara, Giovani, Bent, Paylyuchenko.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, O'Brien, Cahill, Samuel, McCann, Nolan, Muamba, Taylor, Davies, Elmander.