Tottenham v Brighton: Preview, Kick-off, Team News

Tottenham face Brighton and Hove Albion at White Hart Lane in the 4th Round of the Capital One Cup. After the disappointment of a third home defeat of the season on Sunday against Newcastle United, Spurs will be looking for a result to lift the spirits at the club.

Team Update:

Vorm, Naughton, Fazio, Vertonghen, Davies; Dembele, Stambouli; Lennon (c), Kane, Townsend; Soldado

Subs: Friedel, Dier, Chiriches, Mason, Paulinho, Chadli, Lamela

Wednesday, 29th October, 2014
Tottenham Hotspur v Brighton and Hove Albion (Capital One Cup 4th Round)
Kick-off: 7.45pm (UK time)

Last Meeting in the League Cup

The only previous occasion when Spurs and Brighton have met in the League Cup was in the 2nd Round in October, 1982. Over two legs, Spurs won 2 – 1 on aggregate with a 1 – 0 win at the Goldstone Ground, courtesy of a goal from Garth Crooks. The 1st leg had ended 1 – 1, Garry Brooke scoring the Tottenham goal from the penalty spot.

Brighton and Hove Albion

www.seagulls.co.uk

Having defeated Nottingham Forest who at the time were top of the Championship, in the previous round, Spurs face Brighton who are languishing near the foot of the Championship.

To reach this stage of the Capital One Cup, Brighton defeated Cheltenham, Swindon and Burton Albion in the last round. Since their 3 – 0 win over Burton at the end of September, Brighton have failed to win any of their 6 games, with 5 draws and 1 defeat. The match immediately after the Cup tie was a scoreless draw at Nottingham Forest who had troubled Spurs for over an hour, three days earlier.

Brighton’s last win in the League was a 2 – 1 home win over Bolton Wanderers in August with their only other success coming four days earlier at Leeds United where they won 2 – 0.

Last weekend Brighton were held at home by Rotherham United in a 1 – 1 draw. They have drawn 6 of their last 7 league games, the last four with a 1 – 1 scoreline and the previous two were scoreless. Their other game in that 7 game sequence was a 1 – 2 home defeat by Middlesbrough.

Brighton are 21st in the Championship with 13 points from 14 games, 2 points ahead of rejuvenated Bolton and Birmingham City. Brighton are proving hard to beat in the Championship with only 5 losses, but are finding it difficult to win with only 2 wins to their name. They have scored 13 goals and conceded only 16.

The leading goalscorer at Brighton is defender Lewis Dunk with 5 goals. The former Peterborough striker Craig Mackail-Smith, has scored 3 and the England Under-21 midfielder Jake Forster-Caskey, the son of the former Tottenham player, Darren Caskey, has 2.

The Brighton goalkeeper is the former Fulham player, David Stockdale who made the move from Craven Cottage last summer. He spent 6 years with Fulham but in that time had six spells out on loan.

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham

For midweek games, Mauricio Pochettino has tended to rely on his squad players supported by a number of first team regulars. Doubtless, he will do the same for this tie with players like Michel Vorm, Ben Davies and Federico Fazio likely to come into the defence.

A problem area for Pochettino is right-back where Eric Dier is being utilised in the absence, through injury, of the two Kyles, Naughton and Walker. Dier struggled in the second half in the defeat by Newcastle and could be rested. Who will the manager select if Naughton dosn’t make his expected return? Vlad Chiriches and Benji Stambouli have both played in that position for their previous clubs.

Midfield will see a remix of the squad players with Harry Kane after his hat-trick last week sure to start in either midfield or in the striker’s role if Roberto Soldado is omitted.

Team News

It is thought that Kyle Naughton could return for Spurs following his ankle injury but Walker and Nabil Bentaleb are still absent through injury.

The Brighton manager, former Liverpool defender, Sami Hyppia, has injury concerns over striker Mackail-Smith and and full-back Bruno. Midfielder Kazenga LuaLua could return following suspension.

Both teams and managers are under pressure but with an eye on a trophy this draw gives Spurs the opportunity of taking a step closer to a Wembley final.

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