Phil Thompson says Tottenham should finish fourth after they eased past Pompey at White Hart Lane.
Spurs should seal fourth, says Phil
Tottenham 2-0 Portsmouth
Soccer Saturday analysis
Phil Thompson believes Tottenham are in pole position to snare the final Champions League slot following their 2-0 home win over toiling Portsmouth.
First-half goals from Pompey old boys Peter Crouch and Niko Kranjcar saw Spurs extend their lead over fifth-placed Manchester City to five points, and even though the Citizens have a game in hand, Thompson thinks the Londoners' attacking prowess makes them favourites to claim fourth.
"They won this at a canter. They were 2-0 up at half-time, hit the post, hit the bar and had a few other efforts," Thompson told
Soccer Saturday.
"They will be tough to catch, looking at them and the way they played. You look around the side and they have quality and players that can make things happen.
"(Niko) Kranjcar got the second goal, just flicking it past his man, (Luka) Modric has settled into a central-midfield position, there's real quality there. (Peter) Crouch scored today and broke his long-time duck, (Eidur) Gudjohnsen looks decent and I don't think (Jermain) Defoe or (Aaron) Lennon will be too far away. It's looking good for them."
Injury
The only concern for Tottenham will be the withdrawal of captain Michael Dawson who limped off in the 61st minute with a suspected hamstring injury
And with Harry Redknapp's men still focused on two competitions, Thompson thinks Dawson's absence could be a big blow.
"Dawson did get a bit of an injury. It looked like a hamstring strain and I don't know if it's major or anything but they must be worried what with the (FA Cup) semi-finals coming up and the fact they're going for fourth place, even though they did have (Younes) Kaboul to come on," said Thompson.
Ailments
Rock-bottom Portsmouth were only able to name six substitutes and things got progressively worse on the injury front when Hermann Hreidarsson, Danny Webber and David James all vacated play with potentially serious ailments, in what was another troubled afternoon for the South Coasters.
"Hreidarsson looks like he has done his Achilles and was stretchered off with oxygen.
"Webber then went off with what looked like a cruciate knee ligament, no-one near him and he's just gone over, and then David James, which might be a reappearance of his old injury which could be really bad for him.
"And it's really sad for them. They're having a dreadful time and they've still got that (FA Cup) semi-final to come," Thompson added.
