Tottenham can keep top four hopes alive by sinking Sunderland

Tottenham, 40/1 to make a top-four finish with Coral, have lost just one of their last 10 meetings with Sunderland. That is why they are odds-on 4/7 favourites to beat the Black Cats.

Head coach Tim Sherwood returns to the dugout here, and his opposite number on the touchline is former Spurs assistant Gus Poyet, who is 5/1 to spring a shock victory in north London.

Sunderland last won at Tottenham in 2008, but have recorded a draw at White Hart Lane since. Odds of 16/5 say they will share the spoils with their hosts here.

Home side Spurs have won this fixture to nil in three of the last four encounters at the Lane. They are 7/4 to do so again.

Poyet’s Black Cats have posted poor form since completing a Tyne-Wear double over local rivals Newcastle United. They have one win in nine in all competitions since February 1st, and have slipped into the Premier League basement, though do have games in hand on relegation rivals Cardiff, Fulham and Norwich.

Odds-on at 1/3 to go down, and a 3/1 shot to finish bottom, Sunderland have at least managed to score in recent meetings with top-seven teams Arsenal, Manchester City (in the Capital One Cup final) and Liverpool. You could thus, alternatively, back a Tottenham win and both teams to net at 5/2.

Emmanuel Adebayor looks set to return for the hosts after three games out with a gashed heel. He has never scored against the Black Cats, however, but if punters fancy that to change, take odds of 7/2 on the Togo striker netting the opener in the absence of Roberto Soldado.

Brazilian box-to-box midfielder Paulinho, who was on target in the reverse fixture, could also be back in the Spurs XI. Odds of 7/2 say he will grab a goal anytime. Jan Vertonghen will be missing from defence here, though.

Sunderland’s leading scorer Adam Johnson also netted back in December, and is pushing to be recalled after making an impact off the bench in the defeat to West Ham. He is 11/2 to take a chance at Tottenham.

Back Spurs to reach 60 points here, however, by recording a 2-1 home win, and be rewarded with attractive odds of 15/2.