TEAM NEWS: Defoe returns for Tottenham against Norwich

31-Jan-2013 12:25:00 AM

Andre Villas-Boas recalls a number of his first-team players after last weekend's disappointing FA Cup defeat to Leeds and also finds room on the bench for new signing Lewis Holtby

Jermain Defoe returns to the Tottenham starting XI for the Premier League clash against Norwich at Carrow Road tonight after missing the FA Cup defeat to Leeds on Sunday through injury.

New signing Lewis Holtby is also included in the squad, making Andre Villas-Boas' bench, as Spurs aim to take all three points after three consecutive winless games, while Hugo Lloris, Kyle Walker and Michael Dawson are also restored to the side.

Chris Hughton can call upon former Spur Sebastian Bassong once more after the Cameroon international recovered from injury, as Norwich aim to halt a slide that has included six losses in their last seven games.

Wes Hoolahan and Anthony Pilkington are handed starting berths, following late cameos in the Canaries' 1-0 FA Cup loss to Luton on Saturday, and Grant Holt returns in place of Tottenham loanee Harry Kane, who is ineligible to face his parent club.

Simeon Jackson, the matchwinner in the two sides' last meeting in the Capital One Cup in October, is restricted to a place on the bench.

Norwich: Bunn; Russell Martin, Turner, Bassong, Garrido; Snodgrass, Tettey, Johnson, Pilkington; Hoolahan, Holt.

Subs: Camp, Whittaker, Howson, Jackson, Fox, Elliott Bennett, Ryan Bennett.

Tottenham: Lloris; Walker, Dawson, Vertonghen, Assou-Ekotto; Dembele, Parker; Lennon, Dempsey, Bale; Defoe.

Subs: Friedel, Naughton, Gallas, Caulker, Holtby, Livermore, Sigurdsson.