Tottenham v Man City preview

Redknapp: Top four contender

PREDICTIONS:

Skysports.com prediction: 2-2

SKY BET odds: Spurs 5/4, Draw 12/5, Man City 2/1

One to Watch: Jermain Defoe

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Tottenham and Manchester City will be looking to lay down a marker when they meet on Wednesday.

Both sides have aspirations of securing UEFA Champions League qualification this term and know taking points of potential top four rivals will be vital to their cause.

Spurs' efforts have faltered slightly of late, despite their fifth place standing, with no wins in their last three outings seeing them slip off the pace.

The North London outfit do, however, boast an enviable record against City and will enter their midweek encounter in buoyant mood.

Tottenham have won 10 and lost just one of their last 11 meetings with the Blues in all competitions.

In Robbie Keane, who has been out of favour of late, they also have a striker who has scored five goals in his last seven Premier League matches against the men from Eastlands.

Whatever happens on Wednesday there is a good chance there will be a result one way of the other, with Spurs having gone 14 games on home soil without a draw and eight of the last nine meetings between these two sides having finished 2-1.

City will be hoping that it is they who emerge victorious this time around, with too many draws currently undermining their endeavours.

Mark Hughes' men have gone 10 games unbeaten in the league, since tasting derby defeat against Manchester United, but have been held in eight of those fixtures.

Worryingly for the Blues, they have kept only one clean sheet in their last six away games and have not won on the road since overcoming Portsmouth on 30th August.

They do have plenty of firepower at their disposal, though, and will be hoping Emmanuel Adebayor can prolong an impressive scoring record against Spurs which has seen him find the target eight times in his last eight appearances against Harry Redknapp's side.

Jenas doubtful

Midfielder Jermaine Jenas is a major doubt for Tottenham as he is struggling to recover from food poisoning.

The England international returned to training on Tuesday but is a major doubt for the hosts, who will also be without Ledley King (knee), Jonathan Woodgate (groin) and Carlo Cudicini (wrist and pelvis).

Redknapp confirmed that Luka Modric (leg), who has not started a game since August, will be on the bench while Roman Pavlyuchenko and David Bentley are also in contention despite being left out of Saturday's squad to face Wolves.

Wright-Phillips out

Shaun Wright-Phillips will definitely sit out Manchester City's midweek trip to the capital.

The tricky winger was forced out of Saturday's draw at Bolton after aggravating an ankle injury and is already a doubt for the weekend encounter with Sunderland.

Craig Bellamy is suspended for the trip to White Hart Lane but Nigel de Jong has recovered from swine flu, while fears that Adebayor was about to be laid low by the illness have proved unfounded.

Possible starting XIs

Tottenham: Gomes, Corluka, Bassong, Dawson, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Huddlestone, Palacios, Kranjcar, Defoe, Keane.

Man City: Given, Richards, Toure, Lescott, Sylvinho, Ireland, Barry, De Jong, Robinho, Tevez, Adebayor.