Norwich vs. Tottenham: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info, Ticket News
Norwich City and Tottenham Hotspur meet on Tuesday night, with both clubs hoping to fashion a little positive separation in the Premier League.
For fourth-bottom Norwich, a win and Newcastle United losing their midweek match will boost hopes of moving safely clear of the relegation zone. For fourth-place Tottenham, three points and a Manchester United loss strengthens the north London club's grip on a Champions League place.
TOP NEWS
Keeper Punch Sparks Wild Brawl 😳
Best Deals for EPL Spenders 🤑
.png?w=256)
NBA Fans Rip Pistons After Magic Go Up 3-1
With the respective teams in front of them also only a couple of points ahead, victory could also lead to an improved league position by the close of Wednesday.
Spurs beat the Canaries 3-0 at White Hart Lane on Boxing Day thanks to Harry Kane's double and a late Tom Carroll strike. Even so, head coach Mauricio Pochettino is anticipating a challenging night as his side look to extend their winning streak to five matches.
"We expect a very tough game, Norwich is a good team [that] need to fight for their survival and you know this always is difficult," Pochettino told Tottenham's official website.
Norwich are without a win in a month and still reeling from their dramatic 5-4 loss to Liverpool prior to their break for the FA Cup fourth round. Manager Alex Neil is keen for his side to offer a smart response as they attempt to stop and, ideally, unsettle their visitors.
"I'm a big believer in if you keep giving good teams the ball back, eventually they're going to hurt you," he told Norwich City TV. "So we need to make sure our retention of the ball is good and also when we're going forward we've got to try and pose them as many problems as we can."
Date: Tuesday, February 2
Time: 7:45 p.m. GMT/2:45 a.m. ET
Venue: Carrow Road, Norwich
TV Info: No live UK broadcast, extended highlights from 10 p.m. on Sky Sports 1 (UK only)/Premier League Extra Time (U.S. only)
Live Stream: No UK stream/NBC Sports Live Extra (U.S. only)
Ticket Information: For ticket information on all Premier League games visit the official site or go to the ticket page on Norwich's official website. Away allocations for visiting Spurs fans are sold out.
Form Lines
| Norwich City | Tottenham Hotspur |
| Premier League, January 23: Liverpool (H)—Loss: 4-5 | FA Cup, January 30: Colchester United (A)—Win: 1-4 |
| Premier League, January 16: Bournemouth (A)—Loss: 3-0 | Premier League, January 23: Crystal Palace (A)—Win: 1-3 |
| Premier League, January 13: Stoke City (A)—Loss: 3-1 | FA Cup, January 20: Leicester City - replay (A)—Win: 0-2 |
| FA Cup, January 9: Manchester City (H)—Loss: 0-3 | Premier League, January 16: Sunderland (H)—Win: 4-1 |
| Premier League, January 2: Southampton (H)—Win: 1-0 | Premier League, January 13: Leicester City (H)—Loss: 0-1 |
Team News
Neil and Norwich could be facing an uncertain day of preparation.
"We've actually got a little big of a bug going through the camp at the moment which is disappointing so we'll see how that pans out over the next couple of days," he revealed in the above pre-match preview with Norwich TV.
Gary O'Neil is suspended regardless, but Alexander Tettey has recovered from the illness that caused him to miss the Liverpool loss. New defender Timm Klose could make his first start; though, Tuesday may prove too soon for loan recruit Patrick Bamford. The striker is looking to forget a miserable spell at Crystal Palace earlier on this campaign.
For Tottenham, Ryan Mason has returned to full training, as confirmed by their official website. Clinton Njie and Jan Vertonghen remain out as they continue their recoveries from knee injuries.
Predicted Lineups
Neil had plenty to think about in regards to his Norwich team selection even prior to the threat of illness rearing its ugly head.
New first-choice Declan Rudd in goal is one straightforward decision. Dieumerci Mbokani and Steven Naismith's well-crafted goals and solid overall efforts against Liverpool should be enough for the forwards to keep their places, too (if declared ready, Bamford getting an early, confidence-boosting run-out at some point for the Canaries makes sense, though).
Tettey will be a welcome returnee in midfield given the lack of bite Graham Dorrans and Jonny Howson offered in central areas two weekends ago (one tackle from the latter on Emre Can was about all they offered). The more regular starter Howson may keep his place besides the Norwegian to offer some continuity.
Lively and influential in places (notably setting up Naismith's goal and netting a penalty), Norwich will need Wes Hoolahan at his creative best if they are to cause Spurs problems. Matt Jarvis replaced Nathan Redmond during that Liverpool loss and should get the nod to start out right this time after the latter's phoned-in showing—his barely jogging back to challenge Alberto Moreno in the build-up to Roberto Firmino's opener was inexcusable.
Neil's biggest decisions revolve around his defenders, after they shipped five to the Reds.
Klose will almost certainly get his first start. The Swiss' comfort on both sides of central defence is something Neil spoke of upon his signing—per the club's website—and gives him some leeway deciding who he keeps in. After conceding so severely, he will surely utilise it and change things as he attempts to tighten things up again.
For the first time this season Tottenham will have to do without Vertonghen in central defence. The left-sided Kevin Wimmer is the probable choice to partner Toby Alderweireld in the vice-captain's absence as Pochettino looks to find a similar balance.
As has been the case since after the last win over Norwich, the Argentinian's selection at full-back is anybody's guess. Danny Rose and Kyle Walker could be the two after they missed the FA Cup win over Colchester United, but some other permutation is possible.
Barring his being utilised again in defence, Eric Dier will likely partner Mousa Dembele in central midfield. In front of them will be the in-form Dele Alli after he was rested in the cup.
Nacer Chadli and Christian Eriksen have also had good runs and could start either side of the Englishman. Harry Kane will be ahead of them, leading the line as usual.
Norwich City Player to Watch: Timm Klose
"Timm has got plenty of experience having played in the Bundesliga, in the Champions’ League and for his country, which will be an asset to us," Neil said of Norwich’s new defensive signing last month, per the club site.
After opting not to use him against Liverpool, his team’s largely shambolic resistance should see that change for Tottenham.
Klose bringing in just some semblance of coordination to the division’s second leakiest defence will be welcome (only Sunderland’s 46 goals conceded is worse than their 43). Helping shut down the likes of Alli and Kane would definitely be a good start.
Tottenham Hotspur Player to Watch: Dele Alli
Off the back of his goal-of-the-season contender against Crystal Palace, Alli will be raring to go after missing the Colchester win.
Even if the more hard-edged Tettey returns, Norwich are not the most aggressive of midfields. While gaining more attention as one of Spurs’ big attacking threats, Alli will still fancy himself to inflict some damage given half an inch.
Another strike like that seen at Selhurst Park is expecting a bit much. But more along the lines of the penetrative penalty-box run that almost caught Palace out again soon after may become a targeted route of success.
Key Battle: Who Can Expose Uncertain Defences?
The disconnect between Norwich’s defenders individually, and collectively with their midfield, against Liverpool (and often throughout the season) will not automatically be solved by the introduction of Klose or any other personnel change. But Neil will hope they patch his back four up sufficiently to resist Tottenham more than they did their previous opponents.
Some basic understanding of each other’s positioning and the opposition’s whereabouts would go a long way to avoiding goals like Jordan Henderson’s free penalty-box strike last time.
More consistent engagement of the visitors up-field (collective efforts rather than one or two individuals putting themselves about) might have avoided their clear lack of communication and organisation further back being punished so severely by both of Firmino’s goals.
"It's tough to get that balance at this level between allowing your front guys to win you the game but also trying to make sure your lads at the back don't get exposed," Neil pointed out this week.
As he tries to improve things here, he will encourage his more pleasingly performing attackers (against Liverpool anyway) to try to create similar problems among Tottenham’s defensive lines.
Without Vertonghen for the first league game this season, now may be the ideal time to catch the north Londoners out while new understandings between the rejigged groups are firmly established. Between the somewhat unpredictable hard-running of Naismith and Mbokani's strong hold-up work, the Canaries have players capable of doing so.
Odds (via Odds Shark)
Norwich win: 3-1
Tottenham win: 10-11
Draw: 12-5
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=480)
.png?w=600 "2027 NFL Mock Draft 🔮")
