Tottenham Hotspur will resume their Premier League title challenge when they welcome Swansea City to the Liberty Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Mauricio Pochettino's side go into the weekend just two points adrift of league leaders Leicester City, while Swansea are only three points above the relegation zone.
Tottenham
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With just 12 games of the season remaining, Tottenham's unlikely title challenge continues to go from strength to strength, and they could even end this weekend top of the table.
For that to happen, they would need Leicester to slip up at home to Norwich City, but even if the Foxes overcome the struggling Canaries as expected, it has the potential to be a favourable round of fixtures for Spurs.
Arsenal face a difficult trip to Old Trafford against their long-time rivals Manchester United at the same time as Spurs play on Sunday, while Manchester City are not in Premier League action due to their participation in the Capital One Cup final.
It is entirely feasible that Spurs could steal a march on the two teams directly below them in the table, then, which would edge them ever closer to a first league title since 1961.
It has been a rather mixed week so far, with one of their hopes of silverware being ended by a disappointing 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace in the FA Cup, a result that ended an eight-match unbeaten streak in all competitions.
They responded in style on Thursday evening, though, cruising past a below-average Fiorentina side with a 3-0 triumph at White Hart Lane to book their place in the last 16 of the Europa League, where they will meet German giants Borussia Dortmund.
It was one of the toughest ties that they could have got in the draw, but Spurs have already surpassed many expectations this season and may harbour ambitions of going all the way and lifting their first European trophy since 1984.
The winner of the Europa League is, of course, rewarded with a place in the Champions League next season, but that is something Spurs look to be able to achieve from the league alone. They are 10 points clear of fifth-placed Manchester United as things stand and, with the Red Devils taking on Arsenal, that gap could well grow this weekend.
Tottenham will certainly be favourites to hold up their end of the bargain. They have won each of their last five Premier League games and would make it six on the bounce for the first time since 2011 with another victory this weekend.
A win would also move them up to 54 points, surpassing their previous best mark after 27 games of a Premier League season, which was set in the 2011-12 campaign.
In truth, it is hard to pick out a weakness in the Tottenham squad. They have scored only one goal fewer than Leicester and Man City and have had the most shots on target in the Premier League this season, while at the other end they boast the best defensive record and have allowed the fewest shots on target against them.
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Swansea
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While Spurs have been busy reaching unexpected heights this season, Swansea have plunged to surprise lows and are still very much embroiled in a battle to stay in the top flight.
Having been led to a club-record eighth-place finish by Garry Monk last season, the fans may have ambitiously expected to be vying with Spurs for a place in the European spots at this stage of the campaign.
Instead, though, they find themselves just three points above the drop zone going into back-to-back away games against the North London title-chasing duo.
Francesco Guidolin has steadied the ship somewhat since his arrival, but his unbeaten start came to an end in their last Premier League outing as Southampton edged to a 1-0 victory at the Liberty Stadium.
The veteran Italian manager described his side's performance in that match as the worst of his time in charge so far, but he has at least had a long 15-day break to get things right on the training ground.
Not many fans will be expecting much from the next two games at White Hart Lane and the Emirates Stadium, but after that Swansea face a key run of fixtures, with fellow bottom-six dwellers Norwich City, Bournemouth and Aston Villa all in succession.
Two of those matches come at the Liberty Stadium too, which is a bonus considering the Swans have won just two of their 14 away games in all competitions this season, including just one of their last eight.
In the Premier League alone, only the bottom four have amassed fewer points on their travels this season, while West Bromwich Albion and Newcastle United are the only teams to have scored fewer away goals.
Swansea can point to an element of bad luck regarding that, though, as they have hit the woodwork on 15 occasions in their 26 outings this season - the highest tally in the Premier League.
Recent form: LWWDDL
Team News
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Spurs are sweating over the fitness of Harry Kane as the striker continues to recover from the broken nose that forced him to miss the midweek Europa League game.
The England international has scored 15 goals in his last 17 Premier League appearances, but Pochettino is unlikely to take any unnecessary risks with London derbies against West Ham United and Arsenal coming up.
The hosts will also be without Mousa Dembele (groin) and Tom Carroll (Achilles), with the midfield duo joining Jan Vertonghen and Clinton Njie (both knee) on the sidelines.
Christian Eriksen is expected to start again for Spurs having had a hand in five goals in his last five league games and scored three goals in his last three appearances against Swansea.
As has been the case for much of the season, Swansea can report a clean bill of health following their lengthy break from competitive action.
Their biggest worry surrounds manager Guidolin, who has been suffering from a chest infection, but he is expected to be in the dugout.
Tottenham possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Walker, Alderweireld, Wimmer, Rose; Dier, Mason, Eriksen, Alli, Lamela; Kane
Swansea possible starting lineup:
Fabianski; Rangel, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor; Ayew, Cork, Sigurdsson, Britton, Routledge; Paloschi
Head To Head
Spurs have been the biggest bogey team for Swansea during their time in the Premier League, with this weekend's visitors having won none and lost seven of the nine meetings between the two sides.
That gives them an average of just 0.22 points per game against Spurs in the Premier League, which is lower than against any other side. You have to go back to 1991 for Swansea's last win over Spurs, and 1981 for their last league triumph, when they ran out 2-1 winners over a side that included Ray Clemence, Ossie Ardiles, Ricky Villa and Glenn Hoddle.
Villa was on the scoresheet when Spurs fell to their only previous defeat to Swansea at White Hart Lane as they crashed out of the League Cup via a replay in the second round. Swansea have never won an away league game against Tottenham.
The reverse meeting between these two sides saw Kane score an own goal and Spurs twice come from behind to rescue a 2-2 draw in October, while there were goals galore on Swansea's most recent visit to White Hart Lane too as Spurs ran out 3-2 winners in the first match after the passing of club legend Dave Mackay.
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We say: Tottenham 2-0 Swansea
Spurs are flying at the moment, and while Swansea have improved under Guidolin, everything points to a routine home victory this weekend. It is a chance to put the pressure on the likes of Arsenal and Man City ahead of a more difficult London derby double-header next week, and we expect them to take it with minimum fuss.
Barney Corkhill
