Spurs v Hull preview

Changes for Spurs as old boys look to figure for Hull

Last updated: 5th October 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Spurs v Hull preview

Ramos: To make changes

Skysports.com prediction: Spurs 2 Hull 1

Sky Bet odds: Spurs 8/11, Draw 5/2, Hull 4/1

One to Watch: Roman Pavlyuchenko

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Juande Ramos will make changes to his Tottenham Hotspur team for the visit of Hull City, who are looking for back-to-back wins in North London.

Spurs secured a place in the Uefa Cup group phase on Thursday after edging past Wisla Krakow and Ramos is now seeking improvement in the Premier League.

Last season's Carling Cup winners are bottom of the table and have yet to win in six Premier League games so far this term.

An improved showing at White Hart Lane will be demanded from Ramos after 2-1 defeats by Sunderland and Aston Villa preceded a 0-0 draw with Wigan Athletic.

But, in top-flight new boys Hull, Ramos will be aware that his players will not be given an easy opportunity to pick up a first three points of the campaign.

Squad rotation

Ramos made seven changes to his team for the trip to Poland and has promised to rotate his squad again back on domestic soil.

Ledley King will be rested for the game, and Ramos has even hinted that fellow centre-half Jonathan Woodgate could be given a break.

If Woodgate is left out, then Michael Dawson could partner Vedran Corluka, who was cup-tied against Krakow, in the middle, with Chris Gunter continuing at right-back.

Alan Hutton remains sidelined with a foot injury, while Gareth Bale recovered from a foot problem which kept him out of last week's defeat at Portsmouth to play 90 minutes against Krakow.

Roman Pavlyuchenko is available after being cup-tied on Thursday and he could replace either Fraizer Campbell or Darren Bent in the starting line-up.

David Bentley, Jamie O'Hara, Giovani dos Santos and Gilberto are among the other players hoping for a return to the starting line-up.

Tigers news

Hull famously won 2-1 at Arsenal a week ago, but manager Phil Brown wants to forget about that result and focus on the trip to White Hart Lane.

Former Spurs duo Anthony Gardner and Nick Barmby are both hoping to be involved, although neither are expected to start.

Gardner is close to a return after a thigh problem, while Barmby, who made over 100 appearances for Spurs before leaving in 1995, has been bothered by a calf complaint.

Dean Marney - another player with White Hart Lane connections - is expected to start for Hull in midfield.

Last week's goalscorers Geovanni and Daniel Cousin should both start, while Marlon King is aiming to shake off a back problem.

Possible starting line-ups

Spurs: Gomes, Gunter, Corluka, Dawson, Bale, Lennon, Jenas, Zokora, Modric, Bentley, Pavlyuchenko

Hull: Myhill, McShane, Zayatte, Turner, Dawson, Marney, Boateng, Geovanni, Ashbee, Cousin, King