Match Preview: Preston North End v Tottenham Hotspur











Deepdale, Preston, Lancashire
Wednesday 23rd September 2009, Kick Off 19:45
Football League (Carling) Cup, Third Round

Preston North End: 4th in Championship, 15 points from 24
Tottenham Hotspur: 6th Premier League, 12 points from 18















COMMENT:

Tottenham Hotspur visit Preston North End for a League (Carling) Cup third round tie on Wednesday 23rd September, kick-off 19:45. Spurs lost their last Premier League match to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge 3-0 while Preston, currently in fourth place in the Championship, are fresh from a 3-2 home win over Coventry City.

Tottenham have a very long connection with Preston dating back to 1888-89 when Preston won the very first Football League Championship. The young lads who made-up Spurs' team back then adopted Preston's kit of lillywhite shirts and navy shorts in honour of the Lancashire club's achievement and it has remained Spurs kit to this day.

The last meeting between the two clubs was also in the League Cup with Spurs winning 4-1 on aggregate over two legs in September 1996. The teams have played each other four times altogether in the competition with Spurs winning two and drawing two matches.
Preston's record in the League Cup is not very impressive - they've only ever managed to progress as far as the last 16 (4th Round) while Spurs have won the competition on four occasions and been losing finalists three times, including last season when they lost on penalties to Manchester United after a goalless match after extra time.

The last time Preston & Spurs met in a League game was way back in season 1960-61 when Spurs won both matches, 1-0 away and 5-0 at home, on the way to winning the First Division Championship.

Tottenham's biggest worry on Wednesday night will be who plays in central defence, as their first four choices are all out injured - King, Woodgate, Dawson and Bassong. I expect Harry to opt for players who didn't start against Chelsea which means the likes of Gomes, Naughton, Bentley, Dos Santos, Crouch and Pavlyuchenko should all feature against Preston at Deepdale.

TEAM NEWS

Preston North End's injury crisis shows no sign of abating, leaving boss Alan Irvine short of players.
On-loan Neill Collins is cup-tied so Youl Mawene looks set to replace him alongside Liam Chilvers in defence.

Niko Kranjcar is cup-tied, having played in the previous round for Portsmouth.
Michael Dawson is back in the squad for Wednesday night's (September 23) Carling Cup tie at Preston.
The defender is fit for selection after suffering an Achilles problem in only our second pre-season friendly of the summer at AFC Bournemouth on July 17.

Boss Harry Redknapp indicated 'Daws' will start in what will be a testing third round tie at Deepdale.
"Michael is back in the squad and I'm looking at giving him an hour," reported Harry on Tuesday afternoon. "That's as much as we can expect of him as he's been out for a long time.
"He's a fantastic lad and a good player for us and it's great to have him back but we don't want to see him break down again in what will be his first game back."

Harry Redknapp has confirmed that Heurelho Gomes will be back in goal for Wednesday night's (September 23) Carling Cup tie at Preston.
The keeper returned to fitness for the home match against United having picked up a thigh injury at Hull City last month but has had to sit it out with Carlo Cudicini taking over in goal.
However, the popular Brazilian international will return for the third round tie at Deepdale.

Asked if it was a close call between the pair for Sunday's clash at Chelsea, Harry said: "It was a difficult decision but Carlo hasn't done anything wrong. He came into the team and been in good form, so I stayed with him.
"Gomes will play at Preston and they are both good goalkeepers, so it's a good position to be in."

Harry's preparations for the tough trip to Lancashire have been hit by injuries to Ledley King, Sebastien Bassong and Roman Pavlyuchenko.
Ledley limped off with a hamstring injury at Stamford Bridge, Sebastien was stretchered off after suffering concussion and Roman missed out altogether with a Achilles problem.
Harry said: "Ledley's injury was a big blow for us especially against Drogba, who is so strong and powerful. That's when you need the strength and pace of someone like Ledley to play against him, otherwise he muscles you out of the game.

"He's going for a scan to see the full extent of the injury but it will keep him out for a while.
"Sebastien took that bang on the head and it looks as though he's recovered fine from that, but he also damaged his knee. Hopefully that will settle down, but the head problem is okay.
"Roman has a slight tear on his Achilles but he should be okay for the weekend."

Jonathan Woodgate remains out with a groin problem but the good news sees Michael Dawson return to the squad for the first time this season.
Harry also hinted that David Bentley and Giovani are set for starting roles at Deepdale and added: "I've got to give some of the other lads a game who haven't played. I'll mix it up like we did at Doncaster. It's a very difficult game for us but we want to get through it."
Luka Modric (fractured fibula) remains out while Niko Kranjcar is cup-tied having played in the competition this season for Portsmouth against Hereford.

BIG MATCH FACTS:

Preston

• Preston are playing their sixth successive home tie in the Carling Cup, and aiming to reach the fourth round for the first time in seven seasons.

• It was in that run in 2002/03 that the Deepdale club last met a Premier League club in the competition. They defeated Birmingham 2-0 away in the third round.

• North End have won their last five matches at home this season, and have lost just once in 10 games in all competitions.

Tottenham

• Tottenham have only failed to get past the fourth round once in six years, and are aiming to reach the final for the third successive season.

• The four-times winners and three-times runners-up have lost only one of their last 13 League Cup matches.

• League Two Grimsby were the last lower division club to knock the Londoners out of the League Cup. The Mariners won a second-round tie 1-0 at Blundell Park in September 2005.

HARRY ON PRESTON:

Harry Redknapp knows only too well the tough task we face at Preston in the Carling Cup on Wednesday.

The manager took a Portsmouth side to Deepdale two seasons ago en route to their FA Cup success that year.

And Alan Irvine's side almost made sure that run never happened, so Harry will be sending his Spurs side out on guard against the Championship outfit.

"It will be a difficult test," he said. "I remember going there a couple of years ago with Portsmouth and getting absolutely battered. David James saved a penalty and somehow we sneaked a goal in the last minute of the game for an undeserved win so we know it will be a tough, tough game at Preston.

"Alan has done a fantastic job there and they are a very good team. It is a difficult place to go.

"They are doing well in the league this year and Preston is a great club with great tradition. It is always a pleasure to go back there and see Tom Finney because he is a real legend."

As with in our victory over Doncaster Rovers in the last round, Harry admits he is likely rotate the squad when we travel to Lancashire.

"I have got a big squad and they all need games, so I will mix it up again like I did at Doncaster.

"That is not being disrespectful to to the opposition, it's just I have got people here that need to play. But whoever plays they will have to play really well to get the win because Preston are a good side."


PREVIOUS MEETINGS:

Wednesday evening's match will be the 69th meeting between Preston North End and Tottenham Hotspur.
Here are the results of all the previous 68 games with Spurs' score shown first:

27-Jan-1900F.A. Cup 1 7,000A L 0 - 1
17-Dec-00Friendly - H D 1 - 1 Morris
09-Feb-01F.A. Cup 1 15,223H D 1 - 1 Brown
13-Feb-01F.A. Cup 1Replay6,000A W 4 - 2 Cameron, Brown (3)
23-Oct-09Division 1 4,000A X 0 - 0                                           (Abandoned - 50 minutes - Rain)
22-Nov-09Division 1 25,000A L 1 - 4 Steel R
05-Mar-10Division 1 25,000H W 2 - 1 Minter, Humphreys
08-Oct-10Division 1 24,000H D 1 - 1 Minter
11-Feb-11Division 1 10,000A L 0 - 2  
28-Oct-11Division 1 20,000H W 6 - 2 Newman (3), Minter, Middlemiss
02-Mar-12Division 1 5,000A W 1 - 0 Minter
01-Nov-13Division 1 14,000A W 2 - 1 Bauchop, Bliss
07-Mar-14Division 1 25,000H W 1 - 0 Cantrell
20-Nov-20Division 1 33,338H L 1 - 2 Walden
27-Nov-20Division 1 20,000A L 1 - 4 Smith
19-Mar-21F.A. Cup SF 44,668Hil W 2 - 1 Bliss (2)
31-Dec-21Division 1 28,097H W 5 - 0 Seed, Wilson (2), Thompson, Dimmock
14-Jan-22Division 1 20,000A W 2 - 1 Walden, Cantrell
25-Mar-22F.A. Cup SF 50,095Hil L 1 - 2 Seed
30-Mar-23Division 1 30,865H D 1 - 1 Handley
02-Apr-23Division 1 22,000A L 0 - 2  
25-Aug-23Division 1 33,405H W 2 - 0 Lindsay, Handley
01-Sep-23Division 1 16,000A D 2 - 2 Handley, Dimmock
04-Oct-24Division 1 20,000A W 3 - 0 Seed (2), Dimmock
07-Feb-25Division 1 35,000H W 2 - 0 Seed, Lane
29-Mar-29Division 2 19,216A D 2 - 2 Elkes, Dimmock
01-Apr-29Division 2 23,125H W 2 - 0 O'Callaghan, Elkes
16-Nov-29Division 2 10,687A L 0 - 4  
22-Mar-30Division 2 29,108H W 1 - 0 Osborne
08-Sep-30Division 2 17,031A L 1 - 2 Harper
15-Sep-30Division 2 18,793H D 0 - 0  
10-Jan-31F.A. Cup 3 36,549H W 3 - 1 Harper, Cook, Dimmock
31-Aug-31Division 2 22,104H W 4 - 0 Davies, O'Callaghan, Hunt GS
07-May-32Division 2 5,900A L 0 - 2  
08-Oct-32Division 2 6,368A W 6 - 2 Colquhoun, O'Callaghan, Hunt GS, Greenfield, Evans W (2)
10-Feb-33Division 2 41,209H D 1 - 1 Hunt GS
27-Aug-34Division 1 24,961H L 1 - 2 Evans W
03-Sep-34Division 1 25,936A L 0 - 1  
06-Mar-37F.A. Cup 6 71,913H L 1 - 2 Duncan
03-Dec-49Division 2 35,501A W 3 - 1 Bennett, Duquemin, Medley
08-Apr-50Division 2 49,170H W 3 - 2 Walters, Bennett, Medley
23-Feb-52Division 1 49,193H W 1 - 0 Harmer
14-Apr-52Division 1 36,525A D 1 - 1 Ramsey (pen)
04-Oct-52Division 1 28,108A L 0 - 1  
31-Jan-53F.A. Cup 4 34,956A D 2 - 2 Withers (2)
04-Feb-53F.A. Cup 4 Replay55,601H W 1 - 0 Duquemin
21-Feb-53Division 1 50,070H D 4 - 4 Walters, Duquemin (3)
16-Apr-54Division 1 24,521A L 1 - 2 Harmer
19-Apr-54Division 1 30,206H L 2 - 6 Bennett, Dunmore
23-Oct-54Division 1 42,863H W 3 - 1 Ramsey (pen), McClellan, Dunmore
12-Mar-55Division 1 24,344A L 0 - 1  
30-Mar-56Division 1 39,441H L 0 - 4  
02-Apr-56Division 1 26,699A D 3 - 3 Harmer (2, 1pen), Ryden
18-Aug-56Division 1 22,752A W 4 - 1 Medwin (2), Brooks (2)
15-Dec-56Division 1 29,748H D 1 - 1 Medwin
14-Sep-57Division 1 23,364A L 1 - 3 Stokes
18-Jan-58Division 1 43,941H D 3 - 3 Medwin, Brooks (pen), Smith R
06-Dec-58Division 1 31,806H L 1 - 2 Smith R
25-Apr-59Division 1 20,323A D 2 - 2 Smith R, Brooks
19-Sep-59Division 1 51,776H W 5 - 1 Mackay, Smith R, Dunmore, Jones (2)
06-Feb-60Division 1 33,039A D 1 - 1 Mackay
10-Dec-60Division 1 21,657A W 1 - 0 White, Allen
01-Apr-61Division 1 46,325H W 5 - 0 Jones (3), White, Saul
05-Mar-66F.A. Cup 5 Replay36,792A L 1 - 2 Greaves
17-Feb-68F.A. Cup 4 47,088H W 3 - 1 Greaves (2), Chivers
27-Oct-71League Cup 4 30,338H D 1 - 1 Chivers
08-Nov-71League Cup 4 Replay27,239A W 2 - 1 Perryman, Chivers
17-Sep-96League Cup 2 (1L) 16,258A D 1 - 1 Anderton
25-Sep-96 League Cup 2 (2L)  20,080 H  W  3 - 0  Anderton, Allen (2) 
23-Sep-2009League Cup 3 A
Tottenham Hotspur Match Preview: Season 2009-10


                                                                          Web site designed & hosted by Paul Yarden © 2009 at Homestead™
Search MyFootballFacts.com