by Tom Allen
Tottenham have a massive Champions League quarter-final clash in the Bernabeu on Tuesday but need three points at Wigan beforehand in the English top flight and I think they'll get them.
Spurs' run to the last eight of Europe's elite club competition has been thoroughly deserved, getting the better of Inter and AC Milan, among others, along the way, and they'll want more of the same again in 12 months time.
Success at Wembley in May's showpiece final looks unlikely however, Harry Redknapp's men would almost certainly face Barcelona in a semi-final were they to upstage Jose Mourinho's troops, and their best route back into the Champions League for 2011/12 will be via a top four spot in the Premier League this time around.
With a game in hand over faltering fourth-placed Manchester City, and just four points adrift, Redknapp will want to keep the heat on the big-spending Eastlands club with victory at the JJB and success on the road would be the perfect preparation for Tuesday night.
Away victories have been fairly hard to come by for the top sides this term, Arsenal lead the way with seven from 14 matches, but the White Hart Lane outfit have half a dozen to their name and Tottenham's overall Premier League form remains excellent.
It is just two defeats domestically since early November, at Everton and Blackpool, for Spurs and even with the shadow of Real Madrid hanging over the fixture at Wigan they certainly appear value at anything approaching 11/8 or over.
Saturday's hosts Wigan remain in a relegation battle under manager Roberto Martinez but they did give themselves hope of top flight survival when rallying late to beat Birmingham last time out thanks to a late Maynor Figueroa strike.
That was a crucial three points, Wigan had won just once in their previous 11 matches, but it is not difficult to be convinced to take them on and the Lactics overall record is poor.
Nobody has conceded more goals, 31 in 16 games, in front of their own supporters either than Wigan and everything looks in place for an away win.
While the visitors are likely to be without the services of some key men, including possibly Gareth Bale, Redknapp has arguably the strongest squad in the Premier League at his disposal and whatever eleven he sends out at the JJB should be superior in just about every department.
There are some short-priced teams in the Premier League this weekend given the nature of the matchups, Arsenal and Chelsea should both oblige at prohibitive prices, but the odds against about Spurs is too good to turn down and Expekt's 12/5 is extremely appealing.
4pts Back Tottenham (vs. Wigan) @ 12/5 (Expekt)
