This article is more than 8 years old

This article is more than 8 years old

To Newcastle's Alan Pardew, André Villas-Boas's Tottenham currently remain as mysterious as Brendan Rodgers's Liverpool. "I'll be interested to see how Liverpool, with my friend Brendan there, evolve and it's the same with Spurs," said Pardew. "There have been big changes at Spurs. Will it be a positive or a negative? It will be interesting to see André's hand when it's delivered on Saturday." The former Chelsea manager's cause may be helped by home concerns surrounding the fitness of Papiss Cissé, Yohan Cabaye and Hatem Ben Arfa. Vurnon Anita, newly signed from Ajax, could make his Newcastle debut. Louise Taylor

Venue St James' Park, Saturday 5.30pm

Tickets £36-61 (0844 372 1892)

Last season Newcastle 2 Tottenham 2

Referee Martin Atkinson

Last season's matches 27 Y89, R9, 3.63 cards per game

Odds Newcastle 6-4 Tottenham 15-8 Draw 7-4

Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur: Probable starters in bold, contenders in light. Illustration: Graphic

Newcastle

Subs from Elliot, Harper, R Taylor, Anita, Ben Arfa, Obertan, Good, Vuckic, Sammy Ameobi, Shola Ameobi, Perch Bigirimana, Amalfitano, Abeid, Gosling, Tavernier, Ferguson, Williamson

Doubtful Ben Arfa (knee), Cabaye (match fitness), Cissé (hamstring), Ba (calf)

Injured None

Suspended None

Disciplinary record (last season) Y67 R2

Leading scorer (last season) Ba 16

Tottenham

Subs from Cudicini, Gomes, Naughton, Rose, Huddlestone, Van der Vaart, Gallas, Bentley, Bassong, Dawson, Townsend, Caulker, Jenas, Kane, Smith

Doubtful Gomes (ankle)

Injured Parker (achilles, Oct), Giovani (thigh, unknown)

Suspended None

Unavailable Modric (unsettled)

Disciplinary record (last season) Y45 R3

Leading scorer (last season) Adebayor 17

Match pointers

• After losing six Premier League games in a row to Newcastle, Tottenham are unbeaten in their past five meetings, winning three times

• Jonás Gutiérrez won more free-kicks (82) than any other top-flight player in 2011-12

• Tottenham conceded the fewest penalties last season (one) while Newcastle gave away the joint-most (nine)

• Danny Simpson made more clearances of the line (six) than any other player in the division last season

• Tottenham have won only one of their last 10 Premier League away games