Everything on... Cardiff

The Bluebirds sit just two places above the relegation zone but are finding form back in the top flight - after starting the season going eight without a win, they've won five of their last 12 including their first away win at Leicester on Saturday.

Here’s all you need to know about our first opponents of 2019…

Team news

Neil Warnock reported no new injury concerns ahead of the clash at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Defender Jazz Richards (hamstring) and centre-forward Danny Ward (knee) are back in training for the Welsh side, while Kenneth Zohore remains out with a thigh injury.

One to watch

Goalkeeper Neil Etheridge has been making the headlines in South Wales this season, not just for his all-round performances but also for his expertise in saving penalties.

So far this campaign, the Filipino international has made three saves from spot-kicks - in the past 11 years in the top flight, only two goalkeepers have saved more in an entire season - Ali Al Habsi in 2011/12 and Brad Friedel in 2006/07. With 18 games still to go this term, Neil Warnock’s number one certainly has a chance of going on to overtake that mark.

Joining Cardiff from Walsall in the summer of 2017, Etheridge has played all-but one of the Bluebirds' 66 league games since then – that sole match being the newly-promoted side’s last game on New Year’s Day, a 2-1 Championship defeat to QPR at the start of 2018.

Last five meetings

6 October, 2018 – Spurs 1-0 Cardiff City – Premier League
2 March, 2014 – Spurs 1-0 Cardiff City – Premier League
22 September, 2013 – Cardiff City 0-1 Spurs – Premier League
17 January, 2007 – Spurs 4-0 Cardiff City – FA Cup, third round replay
7 January, 2007 – Cardiff City 0-0 Spurs – FA Cup, third round 

Previous clash

A rare Eric Dier strike was just enough to give us all three points against a resilient Cardiff side and helped us maintain our record of not conceding against the Welsh side this century. Going into October's clash at Wembley, we had kept a clean sheet on each of the five occasions we have faced the Bluebirds since 2000, but we were made to battle hard to extend that run to six.

England international Eric put us in front from close range in the early exchanges but for much of the rest of the first period, we were put on the back foot as Neil Warnock’s side pressed for an equaliser. They were creating chances and would have been back on terms had Toby Alderweireld not got back to superbly clear Josh Murphy's effort off the line. After the break, Cardiff’s attempts to get themselves level were made that bit more difficult when Joe Ralls was sent off for a cynical foul on Lucas Moura.

The away side continued to push for an equaliser however, and again they came close as just minutes after going down to 10 men Sean Morrison's header forced Hugo Lloris into a stunning reflex save. We would hold onto that early advantage though to earn a third successive 1-0 win over the Welsh side, securing our best-ever start to a Premier League season with our sixth win in our first eight games.

Cardiff’s form

Since our last meeting with Cardiff, the Welsh side have started to pick up the points in the Premier League and have moved out of the relegation places. Following their resolute performance at Wembley, they secured an emphatic 4-2 home win over fellow promoted side Fulham – their first three points of the season. Frustrating defeats to Liverpool and Leicester quickly dampened the mood in South Wales but after three consecutive wins at the Cardiff City Stadium over Brighton, Wolves and Southampton, the Bluebirds have been fired back into life. Neil Warnock’s side ended 2018 in impressive form as they picked up a point away to Crystal Palace on Boxing Day before earning their first away win of the season with a last-minute winner over Leicester on Saturday, moving them up to 16th.

Played for both

Academy graduate Steven Caulker made 29 first team appearances for us and scored two senior goals in his time at the Club. As a 17-year-old, Steven went out on loan to Yeovil Town to develop his trade further and enjoyed an encouraging debut campaign with the Glovers. A year later he would make his first team debut for us in a League Cup defeat to Arsenal before again going out on loan with spells at Bristol City and Swansea City. After featuring frequently in our 2012/13 campaign, the defender would join Cardiff City permanently in the summer of 2013. Spells with QPR, Southampton, Liverpool and Dundee have since followed for the centre-back, who is now a free agent after leaving the Dee in August.

What they’re saying

The Bluebirds' boss Neil Warnock spoke with the media on Monday morning ahead of the New Year's Day encounter at the Cardiff City Stadium.

"It's a massive challenge," Warnock said. "They've got so many quality players and I think they've done a fabulous job this year. I always get on well with (Mauricio Pochettino) and his staff - I think they are very good as well. They have one bad result and it's a catastrophe in the press, but I think they improve year-on-year and now it's a very exciting club."