Newcastle-Tottenham: Toon Army Look to Dominate at Home

This Monday night, Newcastle United host Martin Jol's struggling Tottenham Hotspurs.

With Michael Owen fit and Joey Barton possibly making a return from a fractured metatarsal, Newcastle United will definitely be looking forward to this game.

Although Mark Viduka could miss out with a calf injury and Claudio Cacapa is 50-50 with a tweaked groin, Newcastle should be quite confident—especially because an injured Paul Robinson is out in goal for Spurs.

The Toon have won four out of their last eight games in the Premier League with Big Sam. They haven't lost at St. James to a London club since the 2-1 loss to Fulham back in September 2006.

Alan Smith will also sit this game out due to a one-match suspension, so it is likely that Obafemi Martins and Michael Owen will be paired up front.

The Spurs are without Ledley King due to a knee injury, and Ricardo Rocha and Kevin-Prine Boateng look to miss out with ankle injuries. Benoit Assou-Ekotto also looks to miss out with a knee injury, but Martin Jol is hopeful that captain Anthony Gardner will be fit.

Spurs are without a win in six, and only have one win this year, that being the 4-0 destruction of Derby. Now that the speculation surrounding Martin Jol's job looks to have halted, he will be desperate to start turning Tottenham's season around. Tottenham are the highest of the four teams with only one win, but still only sit one spot above the relegation zone in 17th.

Match Prediction

Although Michael Owen and Oba Martins have not started a game together so far as strikers for the Toon, I don't see how Tottenham's defence will be able to handle them if Anthony Gardner is missing. Also, without their England number-one in goal, I dont see how Tottenham are going to win this.

Newcastle seem to have a good record against Tottenham and I see this continuing. Berbatov and Keane could cause some problems for Newcastle's defence, but Shay Given and Steve Harper are in great form for the Toon, and I think whichever is chose will keep a clean sheet.

Newcastle 2, Tottenham 0