Can Tottenham Continue Their Mid-Season Surge?

This weeks Premier League action is highlighted by two teams with completely different game styles, with the all out offensive Tottenham taking on the defense minded Aston Villa at Villa Park.

Tottenham were heavily tipped to finish strongly and challenge for a Champions league berth early in the pre-season, but the expectation has weighed on them heavily and their season has been disappointing. Spanish mastermind Juande Ramos has swept into the Hotspurs camp and in a matter of weeks made them believe again, with their last six games placing them in the top three teams in the competition. They will welcome back the defensively minded Didier Zokora and Michael Dawson, while Darren Bent will be looking to make a comeback via the bench. They will be missing defensive trio Anthony Gardner, Gareth Bale and Benoit Assou-Ekotto, but captain Ledley King has slotted back into the Tottenham defence superbly. The Villa defense will be dreading facing the Tottenham duo of Robbie Keane and Dimatar Berbatov, with the former finding the net ten times already in Premier League competition, and the latter smashing Reading apart with a four goal performance that had many awestruck.

Aston Villa may not have the offensive credentials of their rivals, but the team-orientated Villains have been efficient with their scoring exploits and have stunned many with their meteoric rise this season. They may miss the height of rangy forward John Carew, who is struggling with a knee injury, while defensive tall Zat Knight is still suspended. The Villains will try and free up their explosive wingers in an attempt to stretch Tottenham down the flanks, with Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor in scintillating form creating menace with their pin-point crosses and challenging keepers with their lightening runs. Agbonlahor has been a nightmare for keepers this season with seven goals scored in Premier League competition.

Aston Villa has been consistent this season where Tottenham have been predictably unpredictable, but the Hotspurs have incredible form behind them with ten goals in their last two games. The $3.00 available at Party Bets for Tottenham is great value for a team of their calibre.

The other value match of the week involves Everton taking on Middlesbrough at The Riverside in a contest that could shape both teams seasons.

Everton have been consistent this year, sitting only four points off a Champions League place and will be hoping to take three points off Middlesbrough who are a team they have traditionally held a stranglehold over. Everton has four victories in their last five matches against the Teesside team. Their only injury concern is the on-loan midfielder Thomas Graveson, but they will miss integral central midfielder Mikel Arteta, who will be sitting the first of his three match suspension this week. They well welcome back Leighton Baines and Alan Stubbs to an already impressive line-up. Former Middlesbrough central forward Yakubu will be hoping to come back to haunt his old club, with the impressive Nigerian already scoring nine times in Premier League competition.

Middlesbrough has been dismal at times this season, but they have also provided highlights for their fans, with victories over high-class opposition in Arsenal and Portsmouth. They will be hoping their form against top teams continue when they face the in form Toffee's. They will welcome their Captain George Boateng back, but will be sweating on the fitness of David Wheater, Fabio Rochemback and Jeremie Aliadiere. They will need to provide more of an offensive threat than usual against the dour Everton defence, who will provide valuable contributions upfield if the Middlesbrough attack cannot offer enough pressure. Turkish forward Tuncay Sanli and Stewart Downing are at the top of Middlesbrough's scoring charts with four goals apiece but the Teessider's will need to find another attacking target if they want to exert more pressure up the ground.

Everton have been a consistent threat to the top four, while Middlesbrough has been facing relegation dogfights throughout the season. With this in mind, there is no other option than the juicy $2.30 available at Party Bets for Everton.

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