Tottenham Hotspur will aim to keep the pressure on the Premier League's top four sides when they visit West Bromwich Albion on Saturday afternoon.
Spurs are currently just four points behind leaders Manchester City, while West Brom head into the weekend occupying 13th spot in the table.
West Brom
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Even with 24 matches remaining in the season, Tony Pulis looks to have a squad capable of avoiding any dramatic relegation battle when spring arrives.
It has quickly become what we expect from Pulis, whose success with Stoke City and Crystal Palace was enough to encourage any West Brom supporter that he was the right man to ensure they remained an established Premier League side.
His influence has been clearer than ever in recent weeks as a well-organised side continue to improve, and they showed their resilience away from home last weekend by coming from behind to hold West Ham United to a 1-1 draw.
The draw moved the Baggies eight points clear of the relegation zone, but the difficult tests continue to arrive as Pulis prepares for meetings with Spurs and Liverpool over the next couple of weeks.
After beating Arsenal and holding West Ham, results against two of the in-form sides in the country will be a true test of how far West Brom can go this season.
As with every season for the Baggies, the first challenge is to retain their Premier League status. Pulis will want the club to be secure before he looks to set any other targets, but an improving squad could be in contention for a top-half finish.
Recent form: WWLLWD
Spurs
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Spurs extended their unbeaten Premier League run to 13 games last weekend, but the frustration which followed the goalless draw with Chelsea was perhaps the biggest sign that Mauricio Pochettino's side are setting their sights high this season.
Pochettino was quick to declare himself pleased with the result as Spurs secured a point against the champions just three days after making the trip to Azerbaijan for the Europa League victory over Qarabag FK.
The hosts created the better chances at White Hart Lane, but an improved display from Chelsea prevented them from making a breakthrough as Pochettino settled for the draw which leaves them two points behind fourth-placed Arsenal.
Supporters will be wary that one disappointing result could halt the momentum they have gained on their charge up the table, despite their next five league games coming against sides currently sitting outside of the top nine.
Many predicted that Tottenham's fine run would end during the stretch of games against Arsenal, West Ham United and Chelsea, but with five points in the bag from those three fixtures, Pochettino will be quietly confident of climbing above the sides above Spurs in the coming weeks.
With only Manchester United conceding fewer goals than Spurs at this stage, it looks like Pochettino's consistent approach to selecting the team is paying off. As his young squad continues to excite fans, the pressure which comes with raising expectations must now be handled ahead of the hectic Christmas schedule.
Recent form: DWWDWD
Recent form (all competitions): WWDWWD
Team News
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Pochettino will welcome back one of his key men this weekend when Dele Alli returns from suspension, and he is likely to replace Ryan Mason, who will miss the game with an ankle injury.
Nacer Chadli and Nabil Bentaleb are close to training with the squad after their respective injury problems, but neither will be available this weekend.
West Brom will have Chris Brunt available again after suspension, but he could be forced to settle for a spot on the bench after Gareth McAuley returned to the defence in the draw against West Ham.
Saido Berahino is once again likely to be named on the bench against the club he was linked with in the summer, while Rickie Lambert is pushing for a starting spot in attack.
West Brom possible starting lineup:
Myhill; Dawson, Evans, McAuley, Olsson; Gardner, Fletcher, Morrison, McClean; Lambert, Rondon
Spurs possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Walker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose; Dier, Alli; Son, Dembele, Eriksen; Kane
Head To Head
These two sides traded away wins last season as James Morrison secured a 1-0 win for the Baggies at White Hart Lane, before Harry Kane scored twice in a 3-0 Spurs triumph in the reverse fixture in January.
The defeat to West Brom last season is the only time Spurs have lost to Saturday's opponents in the last 11 league meetings between the two teams.
We say: West Brom 1-2 Spurs
Recent weeks have suggested just how far West Brom have come under Pulis, whose methods are certainly making an impact on the side. However, Spurs head into their latest test full of confidence as they look to keep the pressure on the top four. It will be tight for long spells, but Spurs should have enough to collect all three points.
Callum Mulvihill
