Tottenham Hotspur vs Norwich City preview - Villas-Boas wants first win

Posted Saturday, September 01, 2012 by PA

Andre Villas-Boas is desperate to register his first win as Tottenham manager when Norwich visit White Hart Lane.

The 34-year-old has brought two decent displays out of his new side, but Spurs have only taken one point from their clashes against Newcastle and West Brom.

The Portuguese admits he was frustrated to concede an injury-team equaliser against the Baggies last weekend, but is not overly concerned about his team's poor start.

"We wanted to start better," Villas-Boas said.

"One point out of a possible six is something that disappoints us, but we played two excellent games against both teams.

"We have to improve on our concentration levels and take the games through with results that are more positive to us."

The Canaries put a huge dent in Tottenham's Champions League ambitions last season when they won 2-1 at White Hart Lane in April.

The Norfolk side have struggled so far this season under new manager Chris Hughton, losing 5-0 to Fulham on the opening day of the season before claiming a 1-1 home draw against QPR last weekend.

Villas-Boas thinks Hughton's men will go in to the game with confidence, however, after they registered their first win of the season against Scunthorpe in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday.

"It has been a difficult start for them," Villas-Boas said.

"But the win in the League Cup is something that will inspire them and give them more confidence."

Villas-Boas could hand Mousa Dembele his debut and a knee injury to Younes Kaboul means Steven Caulker could get his first Barclays Premier League start for the club.

Chris Hughton will put aside the love affair of his footballing life in a bid to kick start Norwich's Premier League season.

The Norwich manager insists there is no room for sentiment when he takes his side to White Hart Lane, where he spent more than a quarter of a century as a player and a coach.

It is the first time Hughton has returned to Tottenham as a manager and all he wants is a first league victory of the season following an opening 5-0 mauling by Fulham and a 1-1 draw against QPR at Carrow Road.

Hughton, who made 297 league appearances for Tottenham as a left full-back, said: "Apart from two and a half years when I was away I spent 28 years there so it is a fair chunk of my life really.

"My feelings for that club will always be there. It will always hold a special place. I spent a lot of time there very happily as a player, as an Under-21 coach, as a reserve team coach and as a first team coach and assistant manager.

"But it certainly doesn't affect my feelings going back on Saturday, a game I would like us to win and play very well.

"Spurs played a big part in my family, but I would be very disappointed if any of them didn't want me to win on Saturday."