Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty ImagesSwansea looks for a repeat of last year's competitive home result against Spurs, when Scott Sinclair (right) scored in a draw

Swansea have already earned solid results against some of the Premier League's top teams this season, including a draw with Chelsea and a win over Arsenal. Sunday, Andre Villas-Boas's Spurs host Michael Laudrup's Swans in a match which could provide an upset of favoured Tottenham.

Spurs haven't been on their best form lately, and have a knack for conceding late. Last week's win-turned-loss against Everton via two last-minute goals stands as the perfect example. Needless to say, late vulnerability is an idiosyncrasy of Spurs play this season which Swansea will look to exploit. Laudrup's men have looked far better in the second half than the first all season long, and Michu's two late goals against Arsenal ought to unsettle AVB's 80-minute men before the game.

Last season's version of this fixture saw Spurs run out comfortable 3-1 victors; this season's features two new managers with somewhat different sides, so what recent history can teach us might be negligible at best. The Swans have been a revelation under Laudrup this season, showing marked improvement over last season and pushing on positively from the Brendan Rodgers era. At Tottenham, the jury still seems to be out over AVB - although Spurs fans ought to be thankful they are still doing better in 5th place than Liverpool (10th) or Arsenal (seventh) - 'Big Six' sides that are looking anything but so far this season.

More scalp-hunting for Swansea, then, and a chance to redress last season's result. If Swansea were well beaten in London last time round, the Liberty fixture provided one of the Swans best performances of their debut Premier League campaign - so good, in fact, the team saw fit to release the 1-1 draw as a DVD. This year's Swans will be looking for a similar performance, but will have to quiet Jermain Defoe to achieve it.

Defoe has shown a lethal touch in front of goal this season, and will present a rare challenge for physical Swans centre backs Ash Williams and Chico. As much as the slick and stylish continental approach has filtered into the Premier League over the years, it is surprising how many sides still field burly, physical frontmen, the likes of which Williams and Chico have demonstrated some ability to contain.

Defoe is the opposite; fast, agile and superb at finding space. With quality on the Tottenham flanks, particularly in Aaron Lennon, the Swans centre backs won't be able to rely on cover from their fullbacks. If Defoe is on form, it could be a long day for Swansea. If they can silence the striker, the absence of Gareth Bale diminishes Spurs attacking threat enough to suggest the Swans can get a result, especially with Michu looking to add to both his goal tally and his growing legend among the Swans' faithful.

Prediction: Score draw

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