Sunderland v Tottenham preview Spurs pushing for top-half finish; Black Cats eye crucial three points

Sunderland and Tottenham lock horns on Saturday with Black Cats boss Ricky Sbragia insisting there is no bad blood between the two sides.

The Sunderland manager has played down the ill feeling between the two clubs ahead of the weekend's only Premier League fixture, after Spurs tried to lure striker Kenwyne Jones away from the Stadium of Light in January.

The rescheduled fixture following Spurs' run to the Carling Cup final sees the two teams level on 31 points, battling for points which could go a long way to securing safety in the league.

Both lie just four points above the drop zone after contrasting results in midweek.

Sunderland travelled to Merseyside on Tuesday, but came back pointless after losing 2-0 to Liverpool, while Spurs trounced Middlesbrough 4-0 at home on Wednesday.

Sbragia left top goalscorer Djibril Cisse on the bench against his former club in midweek, but the on-loan Frenchman should come back into the starting line-up as the Black Cats look to do the double over Spurs.

Sunderland midfielder Teemu Tainio will miss out on a reunion with his former club as he battles against a knee injury.

The Finn suffered the problem against Arsenal in late February and has struggled to regain full-fitness, while defender Nyron Nosworthy is still out with a hamstring tear.
Selection headache

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp faces a dilemma of whether to shuffle his pack or stick with the side that battered Boro in midweek.

Midfielder Didier Zokora was slotted in at right-back, despite recognised full-backs Pascal Chimbonda and Vedran Corluka being fit and available, while Ledley King could add to Redknapp's selection headache if his long-term knee problems subside.

The Spurs boss has a plethora of options in midfield, but is likely to stick with the four that impressed on Wednesday including winger Aaron Lennon, who is being touted for an England call-up.

Robbie Keane, who netted his first goal since his January return to White Hart Lane against Boro, should be partnered up front with Roman Pavlyuchenko although the Russian could miss Saturday's game with a groin complaint.

If the Russian is unfit, his Wednesday replacement and Spurs' top scorer Darren Bent could come in to face the side who reportedly tried to sign him in January.

Possible starting XIs:

Sunderland: Fulop, Bardsley, McCartney, Ferdinand, Collins, Whitehead, Malbranque, Richardson, Reid, Cisse, Jones.

Tottenham: Gomes, Assou-Ekotto, Woodgate, King, Corluka, Lennon, Palacios, Jenas, Modric, Pavlyuchenko, Keane.