Tottenham continue to occupy the lucrative fourth spot in the EPL after wins at Stoke City and at home to all-but-relegated Portsmouth, while rivals for the final Champions League qualification place faltered.

The Lilywhites face a crucial early-April period, with an FA Cup semi-final against Pompey at Wembley on April 11^th, followed by a Wednesday night visit of bitter North London rivals Arsenal in the EPL.

And they had in-form striker Jermaine Defoe to add to their ever-lengthening injury-list after a “grade-two” tear to his hamstring two weeks ago.

 

However, Spurs’ top scorer may have recovered from his injury quicker than was first feared.

Defoe, who has bagged 23 goals this season, looked likely to be out for another week at least, but has been named in the squad for Saturday afternoon’s trip to Sunderland’s Stadium of Light.

Spurs supremo Harry Redknapp said: “It’s great news and I’m really pleased. He’s a terrific little striker and a fighter. It’s great to have him back so soon.”

Fortunately for Spurs, fellow strikers Peter Crouch, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Eidur Gudjohnsen have all found the net in recent weeks to cover for the prolific 27-year-old’s absence.

Gudjohnsen scored in Spurs’ 2-1 win at Stoke. He and Pavlyuchenko were on the scoresheet to seal their come-from-behind 3-1 victory over Fulham in the FA Cup quarter-final victory at the Lane.

And Crouch nodded home Spurs’ opener against previous club Portsmouth in their altogether more routine 2-0 victory over the cash-strapped South Coast outfit.

Meanwhile, Redknapp is already looking towards next season’s squad.

In the wake of midfielder Tom Huddlestone’s new deal, which will keep the 23-year-old at the club until 2015, Spurs last week signed long-term target Sandro from Brazilian club Internacional.

Tottenham’s interest in the 21-year-old was first revealed last autumn, when it was reported that the club were prepared to pay up to £14m for his services.

But the deal for the player, who earned his one and only Brazilian cap so far at the time Spurs were first looking at him, remains dependent on a solution to work permit issues.

Should they be resolved, Sandro will join Spurs after Internacional’s Copa Libertadores campaign this summer.

Redknapp was quick to praise Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy’s part in the acquisition, saying: “I think there were hard and protracted negotiations, so a lot of credit must go to him.

“Not too many chairmen would fly halfway round the world to get a deal done and he has flown to Brazil twice.”

Spurs visit to Sunderland this Saturday come after the Black Cats’ recent resurgence was brought to a halt by convincing defeat at Spurs’ top-four rivals Liverpool.

And a win would be their sixth in succession in the EPL, their best in the competition and the first time they’ve won six-in-a-row in the top flight since 1989/90.

Defenders Vedran Corluka and Michael Dawson remain injury doubts. Corluka injured his ankle during the Fulham replay, while Dawson underwent an ultrasound scan on his hamstring on Monday.