By John Motson
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: White Hart Lane Date: Saturday, 1 September KO 15:00 GMT
TEAM NEWS
Tottenham’s new £15m signing Mousa Dembele could make his debut for the club after moving from Fulham.
Fellow Belgian Jan Vertonghen will continue to partner William Gallas in central defence, with Younes Kaboul ruled out for up to four months.
Simon Lappin will miss out for Norwich due to an ankle injury, but fellow midfielder Robert Snodgrass should be fit after a minor leg problem.
New signing Alex Tettey is likely to be named on the substitutes’ bench.
MATCH PREVIEW
Respected Norwich manager Chris Hughton came through the ranks at Tottenham to make more than 300 senior appearances in 13 years at White Hart Lane as a player. He’ll get a fantastic ovation from the crowd.
Both he and Andre Villa-Boas have something in common right now: both are searching for their first league win of the season.
Spurs were frustrated to concede that late goal against West Brom last week. They have been so busy in the transfer market, so this match – which they’ll expect to win – may be a day of discovery for fans. They’ll want clues about how their team will take shape in the coming months, in terms of formation and personnel. I rate new signing Mousa Dembele highly, and his arrival has eased the disappointment of Luka Modric’s departure.
I was there when Norwich won 2-1 at White Hart Lane in April, and to finish 12th in the Premier League after two promotions has set the bar pretty high.
Virtually all of the players assembled by previous manager Paul Lambert were from modest backgrounds and there was little Premier League experience in that squad. Sebastien Bassong is quite an important signing in that respect, with more than 80 top-flight games under his belt.
There has been a lot of spending in this transfer window, but once again Norwich haven’t broken the bank. Hughton’s main job will be to ensure that ‘second-season syndrome’ doesn’t bite. Some Norwich fans may be slightly worried about season of struggle, but it’s early days.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
Tottenham have won six of the 10 previous Premier League meetings between the two clubs, with Norwich triumphing twice.
The Canaries won 2-1 in April at White Hart Lane last season, while Spurs won 2-0 at Carrow Road in December 2011.
The highest-scoring match between them at White Hart Lane came when Spurs won 5-1 in the Premier League on 9 April, 1993.
Tottenham
Spurs have now won just four of their last 15 Premier League matches.
They are yet to keep a clean sheet this season.
The Lilywhites have scored in their last 25 Premier League matches at White Hart Lane since the 0-0 draw against West Ham in March 2011.
Norwich
Chris Hughton has failed to win in his last seven Premier League matches as manager since Newcastle won 1-0 at Arsenal in November 2010.
The Canaries have won one of their past five Premier League away games.
After 10 appearances without a goal, Canadian forward Simeon Jackson has scored in his past two games for the club.
