Preview: Tottenham Hotspur vs. West Bromwich Albion

Tim Sherwood will take charge of his first match as permanent head coach of Tottenham Hotspur when West Bromwich Albion travel to White Hart Lane on Boxing Day.

Sherwood was handed the reins having sufficiently impressed chairman Daniel Levy in his two matches as interim boss following the exit of Andre Villas-Boas earlier this month.

The new manager will be looking to immediately re-establish his side amongst the Champions League contenders as they currently sit seventh in the table, four points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.

His first issue will be to improve Tottenham's home form, which is currently the worst in the top half of the table. Under Andre Villas-Boas, Spurs only won three of their eight league games at White Hart Lane, scoring just seven goals.

They have lost three of their last five home league games, with the solitary win in that time coming over Hull City in October.

Sherwood is expected to continue playing two strikers up front, but he will be without Andros Townsend, Younes Kaboul and Jan Vertonghen through injury, while Paulinho is still suspended.

Aaron Lennon is also a doubt for the hosts, as is Mousa Dembele, who limped off during last weekend's match against Southampton.

West Brom have had managerial problems of their own in recent weeks, with Keith Downing remaining in temporary charge as the club's search for a successor to Steve Clarke continues.

The Baggies are slipping into dangerous waters in the Premier League and are now precariously perched just two places and three points above the relegation zone.

They are currently on a seven-match winless streak, picking up just three points from the last 21 available.

Away from home, West Brom have lost their last two and only won once all season, although that solitary victory was a memorable one at Old Trafford.

Downing could be without Victor Anichebe due to a groin problem, but the striker is his only injury concern going into Thursday's match.

Recent form

Spurs: WWWLLW

West Brom: DLLLLD

Possible starting lineups

Spurs: Lloris; Walker, Dawson, Chiriches, Rose; Lamela, Dembélé, Sigurdsson; Eriksen; Soldado, Adebayor

West Brom: Foster; Jones, McAuley, Olsson, Ridgwell; Brunt, Mulumbu; Sessegnon, Morrison, Sinclair; Long

Sports Mole says: 2-0