Tottenham vs. Newcastle: 5 Key Battles to Watch

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A resurgent Newcastle travels to White Hart Lane to face Tottenham on Saturday.

It will be an important game for either side, and there will certainly be some key battles throughout the match.

The last time these teams met it was Newcastle who ran out 2-1 winners in both sides' season opener.

Their fortunes have changed since.

Tottenham continues to fight for a Champions League spot while Newcastle has been disappointing this season and are near the relegation zone.

Here are five key battles to watch in what should be an exciting Premier League encounter.

Gareth Bale vs. Mathieu Debuchy

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Newcastle's new right-back Mathieu Debuchy will face his toughest Premier League challenge yet in the form of Gareth Bale.

He's been solid in his first few Premier League games, but Bale will present quite a challenge with his pace and power.

Should the Frenchman fail to keep up with the flying Welshman, Tottenham could have a positive result on their hands.

These are the type of games that Debuchy was bought for, and he will be expected to stand up to the task.

Papiss Cisse vs. Jan Vertonghen

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Papiss Cisse has seemingly benefited from the departure of his compatriot Demba Ba and arrival of Moussa Sissoko.

He's put in two solid back-to-back games since the Frenchman's arrival; three goals in his last seven games is further evidence of his slightly improving form.

He'll most likely be marked by Tottenham's best defender this season in Jan Vertonghen.

The Dutchman has been effective whether playing at left-back or as a central defender.

He's shown why he was so highly sought after during the summer with his positional play and tackling skills.

Mousa Dembele vs. Moussa Sissoko

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The two runners for either side can have a huge impact on the game.

Moussa Sissoko has shown he can be a catalyst for this Newcastle side with two goals and one assist in his first two games.

His power and direct play are similar to Manchester City's Yaya Toure, and it will be tough for anyone in Tottenham's midfield to stop him.

The best person for the task would be Tottenham's Mousa Dembele. 

His dribbling skills and strong running will provide problems for Newcastle on the attacking end.

Defensively he has enough strength to match Sissoko, and the battle between the two will be interesting to watch.

Lewis Holtby vs. Yohan Cabaye

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Lewis Holtby will more than likely get the start for Tottenham.

Jermain Defoe is out and Emmanuel Adebayor is unlikely to jump back into the starting lineup after Africa Cup of Nations duty.

That will likely mean that Clint Dempsey leads the line.

Holtby will be expected to provide that final ball for Tottenham in the attacking third. 

On the other end Yohan Cabaye will look to control things from deep for Newcastle.

Everything is likely to run through the Frenchman.

The attributes these two bring and what will be expected of them mean the game could hinge on one outperforming the other.

Clint Dempsey vs. Fabricio Coloccini

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Clint Dempsey should line up as forward for the upcoming game.

He's been on a decent run of form having provided five total goals and assists in his last 10 games for Tottenham.

That continued with his strike for the U.S. against Honduras on Wednesday.

His contribution will certainly be important for Tottenham as they are without the potency of Jermain Defoe.

Fabricio Coloccini hasn't been the authoritative presence Newcastle has been used to, and as the Mirror reported, he came close to quitting the club in January.

It will be an interesting battle between two players who are expected to perform better than they have been.