Tottenham v Stoke preview

Crouch: Set to start

PREDICTIONS:

Skysports.com prediction: Tottenham 2 Stoke 1

SKY BET odds: Tottenham 4/9, Draw 3/1, Stoke 15/2

One to watch: Peter Crouch

Tottenham to win 2-1 is 7/1 and Peter Crouch to score anytime at 5/4. James Beattie to open the scoring for Stoke is 9/1. Click here to bet.

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Tottenham will be looking to tighten their grip on a place in the top four when they host Stoke at White Hart Lane on Saturday.

With Chelsea not in action until later in the evening and Manchester United facing Liverpool on Sunday, Spurs could temporarily draw level on points at the summit.

Harry Redknapp admitted earlier this week that he had set his sights on UEFA Champions League qualification after being encouraged by the inconsistency of others.

Spurs have avoided any surprise slip-ups so far this season, losing only to Manchester United and Chelsea, and will go into their home clash with the Potters in confident mood.

They were made to battle for a 2-1 victory over Portsmouth last weekend, especially after being reduced to ten men when Jermain Defoe was sent off for a stamp on Aaron Mokoena.

Defoe will now serve a three-match suspension for a straight red card, meaning Peter Crouch will get an opportunity to start alongside Robbie Keane against Stoke.

Wilson Palacios is set to come back into midfield after a late return from international duty meant he was only able to start on the substitutes' bench at Fratton Park.

Redknapp must decide whether Jermaine Jenas or Tom Huddlestone should make way for Palacios, while he is likely to stick with Ledley King and Sebastien Bassong at centre-back as Jonathan Woodgate builds up his fitness.

Stoke news

Stoke have picked up where they left off at the end of last season and it is a mark of their improvement that they are not even expected to be involved in a relegation battle this term.

Tony Pulis has urged his players to maintain their focus and everything appears to be going well so far, with a 2-1 success against West Ham last time out taking them up to ninth.

Stoke have also become harder to beat on the road but will be eager to claim a first away win after three consecutive draws.

They will have to do so without Robert Huth after the German centre-back was hit with a three-game ban by the Football Association following his clash with Matthew Upson.

Referee Martin Atkinson missed Huth swinging an arm at Upson but he has not escaped punishment after admitting a charge of violent conduct.

Andy Wilkinson, who lost his place to Huth following his arrival from Middlesbrough, is poised to deputise at right-back.

Glenn Whelan could return to Stoke's midfield after his exploits for Republic of Ireland, but his international team-mate Liam Lawrence is a doubt after missing training with a virus.

Possible starting XIs

Tottenham: Gomes, Corluka, King, Bassong, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Palacios, Jenas, Kranjcar, Keane, Crouch.

Stoke: Sorensen, Wilkinson, Abdoulaye Faye, Collins, Shawcross, Delap, Etherington, Whitehead, Diao, Fuller, Beattie.