Tottenham will be hoping that a new year brings in the same old fortunes as they end 2012 in stunning form. They will be expecting to bag all 3 points against a Reading side firmly in the relegation mix up.
Spurs have won six of their last eight and they have really been hitting top gear. They sit well in contention for a Champions League finish as the top four is well in touching distance for them. The back to back victories they experienced in the Christmas would have certaintly added to their resolve to succeed.
Gareth Bale took centre stage as he scored a hatrick in the 4-0 win over Aston Villa, before helping his team grind out a 2-1 victory at the Stadium of Light against Sunderland last time out.
Andre Villas-Boas will be hoping his charges can build some momentum at White Hart Lane and make it a fortress once again like it had been for much of Harry Redknapp’s reign.
They will be confident of starting that job here as they face a Reading outfit they beat 3-1 at the Madjeski stadium earlier this season.
The Royals will not head to White Hart lane downbeat though as they just secured a valuable 3 points in their last outing against West Ham.
Even more promising was the return to form of their star forward Pavel Pogrebnyak as he managed to get on the scoresheet and make the difference.
They had been on a run of seven straight defeats for Brian McDermott’s men before this game so while a win last time out was welcomed, they need to get on the points trail soon as they lie 5 points adrift of safety.
Bale is suspended for this one after accruing his fifth booking of the season for what was debatably a dive. AVB has options to call on though with Clint Dempsey and Gylfi Sigurdsson both featuring at the Stadium of Light. Scott Parker could be pushing for his first start in a long time too.
Jason Roberts could finally return to the fold for Reading after missing the last 5 games with a hip injury. Adam Le Fondre will want to feature too, but Brian McDermott you suspect will name an unchanged side, sticking to what he knows with a winning formula last time out.
No player has played longer without having a shot on goal than Reading's Chris Gunter this season (980 mins), maybe he could go one better and score against his former club on Saturday.
Prediction: Tottenham 5-1 Reading
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