Leon Britton and Mark Gower may also have something to prove against Redknapp and his Tottenham team today. Britton was the most expensive 16 year old in the game when Harry Redknapp splashed out £400,000 for his services from Arsenal in 1998 but the pocket midfielder never made the grade at Upton Park, whereas Mark Gower also has a similar story. Gower was part of a Tottenham youth set up, that would've also included Ledley King and Peter Crouch, but also failed to break into the first team. With both players now strutting their stuff in the big time, they'll both be looking to show Redknapp, and Tottenham, what they missed out on. However, all eyes at the Liberty may well be on a certain Welshman today who won't be wearing white. Gareth Bale demonstrated his brilliance against Norwich a few days ago and has certainly re-ignited his form in wake of Spurs' unlikely title bid. After a stuttering start to the season that saw them lose to both Manchester teams, Tottenham's fortunes have turned around significantly. Since August they have only dropped points to a shock defeat against Stoke and two draws against Newcastle and Chelsea, a record which has earned them a comfortable berth at 3rd place in the league.
Team News
Swansea will need to give
Angel Rangel a late fitness test after the Spaniard re-aggravated the injury he had just recovered from earlier in the week against QPR.
Neil Taylor should be available after missing the QPR tie but the Welsh international isn't rated at 100% fitness quite yet, so a defensive crisis could be on the cards for Brendan Rodgers.
Kemy Agustien filled the void at right back previously but
Federico Bessone is also available to make his first Premier League start in his second stint in South Wales. Another notable absence in defence is of
Steven Caulker. The on-loan Tottenham player won't be able to play against his parent club, so the experienced
Garry Monk will replace him in the centre of defence. Long term absentee's
Alan Tate and
Ferrie Bodde complete the list of unavailable players for Swansea. Tottenham will need to give three late fitness tests to
Sebastian Bassong,
Roman Pavlyuchenko and
Jermain Defoe with Defoe looking the most likely to make the grade for the match, Bassong and Pavlyuchenko may miss out. Bassong's fellow defensive partner
Michael Dawson is still struggling from an Achilles injury, whilst
Ledley King's hamstring will prevent the defender from taking any part in the game. In midfield Redknapp will be missing the talents of
Aaron Lennon (hamstring),
Tom Huddlestone (ankle) and long-term absentee
Jermaine Jenas (Achilles).
Line-ups from;
Swansea (from): Vorm, Williams,
Taylor, Britton, Orlandi, Graham, Sinclair, Dyer, Routledge, Monk, Cotterill, Lita, Moore, Bessone, Moreira,
Rangel, Allen, Tremmel, Agustien, Gower, Butler, Richards, Lucas, Davies, Walsh, Alfei, Smith, Edwards, March, Moras.
Probable line-up: Vorm, Richards, Williams, Monk, Agustien, Britton, Gower, Allen, Routledge, Sinclair, Graham.
Tottenham (from): Gomes, Bale, Kaboul, Parker,
Pavlyuchenko, Adebayor, van der Vaart, Gallas, Modric, dos Santos,
Defoe,
Bassong, Kranjcar, Corluka, Cudicini, Friedel, Rose, Falqué, Walker, Livermore, Sandro, Townsend, Assou-Ekotto, Pienaar.
Probable line-up: Friedel, Walker, Kaboul, Gallas, Assou-Ekotto, Bale, Parker, Sandro, Modric, van der Vaart, Adebayor.
Italics indicate doubtful. Prediction: 1 - 2 - The attacking talents of Bale, Modric, van der Vaart and Adebayor will far surpass the tests of previous teams that have visited the Liberty Stadium but Michel Vorm won't make it easy for them.