Tottenham v Fulham
Tuesday's Barclays Premier League fixtures
Blue Square PR Manager Alan Alger takes a look at Tuesday's Barclays Premier League fixtures including the live 'London Derby' between Tottenham and Fulham:
This midweek the TV executives were blessed with fixtures in the Premier League that could have been headlined as genuine 'relegation six-pointers'. Three matches stand out from the eight scheduled over two nights, 20th v 16th, 19th v 15th and 12th v 14th. Instead we are faced with a Tuesday offering of 4th v 9th and 10th v 13th the night after. Hardly inspiring stuff is it? The first of those matches sees Tottenham host Fulham at White Hart Lane with both clubs aiming for a Europa Cup spot at the very least. As already stated, Tottenham are in fourth place which if maintained for just another three and a half months would qualify them for their first ever crack at the Champions League. They are one of four standout contenders for the remaining fourth spot left by runaway trio Chelsea, Manchester United and arch-rivals Arsenal. Spurs are 11/4 in a quartet containing an expectant Manchester City as Evens favourites, a desperate Liverpool at 7/4 and a quietly hopeful Aston Villa at 7/2. The gap in betting terms to Birmingham at 66/1 is huge and despite their good form it can surely only be between the clubs ahead of them in the market. Manager Harry Redknapp hasn't done much of his usual wheeling and dealing in this current transfer window, but Tottenham's recent poor form may spark his cheque writing hand into action. With only one win in the New Year, coming against Championship Peterborough, the dreams of Europe's premier competition may need putting on hold. Leeds United held them in the FA Cup at home this weekend and their goalless displays against Hull and particularly Liverpool were woeful. Visitors Fulham have seen their league form tail off after the impressive beating dished out to Manchester United at Craven Cottage just before Christmas. The weather disruption ensures that this is their fourth consecutive top-flight away game, with the first three all ending in defeat. The White Hart Lane faithful will be questioning a team that can put three past Manchester City and nine past Wigan but fail to register anything of note when Stoke, Wolves and Hull were the visitors. That coupled with the fact that Fulham have only won once away all season, with a deflected goal at bottom club Portsmouth, can only point to one thing - the draw at 11/4. For the more adventurous a goalless draw, and a repeat of the Boxing Day reverse fixture, is 8/1.
Things might be slowly on the up for West Ham United and three points at Portsmouth could lift them as high as 14th place in the table. The Hammers possess the third best goal difference in the bottom half of the standings and that suggests that just minor tweaks by manager Gianfranco Zola will ensure another season in the division. Zola's team have played well in some difficult matches recently and they can follow up their win at home to Portsmouth on Boxing Day by completing the double over them at a very generous 15/8 here. The night's other six pointer comes at Bolton's Reebok Stadium where Owen Coyle welcomes his old charges Burnley. The home side can leapfrog their visitors in the table to justify Coyle's switch if they win here. Burnley's travel woes are evidenced by just one point from a possible 33 away from Turf Moor. That did come at Manchester City in a 3-3 draw but that was more of a freak occurrence with them averaging just 0.5 goals per game in their other away matches. Bolton are not the type of team you'd usually want to trust at a price of 8/11 but in this instance we are probably getting good value. With his departure fresh in the mind Coyle will know Burnley's set-up inside out and can inspire his new team to victory. Liverpool's season has been so bad that every time their match prices are released I have to rub my eyes. It's a point I've made before but to see them drift to 5/4 before kick-off at Stoke City and now rank as big as 8/11 to win at Wolves tells you all you need to know about their season so far. Their win at home to Tottenham was a welcome tonic for Rafa Benitez and they've had a free weekend to think about their assignment at Molineux. As expected Wolves rested players for their fourth round FA Cup tie with Crystal Palace on Saturday. They were fortunate to earn a draw in the 84th minute and whilst the majority of the personnel will be different here you have to fancy Liverpool at such an unusually big price.
Wolves' home matches have generally been low scoring affairs and a 1-0 away win appeals at 11/2.
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