Ramos faces tough decision over King fitness

Tottenham head coach Juande Ramos will make a late decision on whether Ledley King will face Udinese tonight - when his participation would effectively rule his skipper out of the must-win clash against Bolton.

King will struggle to play twice in a week as he recovers from knee surgery, meaning a UEFA Cup game against the side second in Serie A would deny Ramos his best defender in Spurs' bid to lift themselves off the bottom of the Premier League this weekend.

"Both competitions are important,'' said Ramos. "The most important is the UEFA cup because this is our next game. On Friday, the most important is the Premier League.''

Spurs' worst start to a season in their history has been complicated by King's injury and Vedran Corluka and Roman Pavlyuchenko being cup-tied for UEFA Cup action.

Pavlyuchenko's appearance in the defeat to Stoke at the weekend has caused a stir in Russia, as his national team thought he was still suffering from an ankle injury.

"He has an injury but was in the team,'' Ramos admitted. "In the match against Stoke we were losing and in the last 20-25 minutes we needed to use him to get a draw. He didn't finish in the best condition.''

The defeat at Britannia Stadium also led to Michael Dawson being charged with improper conduct by the Football Association for his reaction to being sent off, and the centre-back has requested a personal hearing to deny the charge.

Alan Hutton escaped with just a yellow card in that match following a clumsy challenge on Thomas Sorensen, who said he was a millimetre from losing his sight following the incident.

Hutton expressed his disappointment that Sorensen had criticised him.

"It's harsh,'' said the Scotland full-back. "I said I was sorry and I totally mean that. I'd like to say sorry again. Hopefully he'll be back as soon as possible.

"I've been in that position before myself and I would never go out and try to harm anyone. It was one of those things. I've received bad tackles, it's a contact sport, I don't say anything about it.''

Hutton will make his debut in Europe this season following his own foot problem, but Tom Huddlestone has an injury and did not travel.

Sporting director Damien Comolli, who has been tipped to leave the club, made the trip to Italy but chairman Daniel Levy is thought to be away on business.

David Bentley, meanwhile, has given his forthright verdict on Tottenham's start to the season, admitting he and his team-mates had no idea what they were doing.

Bentley told talkSPORT magazine: "Its been shocking, its been a bit s***. It's been a difficult start, especially for me.

"I wasn't enjoying it. It's been difficult out on the pitch. We've not been together - we didn't know where people were running, what people were doing.

"But I think we're slowly starting to get settled and people are becoming more confident.''

O'Neill survives scare

Gareth Barry scored on his 400th club appearance as Aston Villa came from behind to defeat ill-disciplined Litex Lovech in their UEFA Cup first round first leg clash.

AP

Ivelin Popov celebrates his free-kick goal.

England midfielder Barry converted a 72nd-minute penalty to celebrate the landmark after the Bulgarian Cup holders were reduced to nine men at the Gradski Stadion.Nigel Reo-Coker netted for the second time in as many games to haul Martin O'Neill's side level on the stroke of half-time after a gaffe from goalkeeper Uros Golubovic.

• O'Neill bemoans sluggish start

Arguably that mistake altered the shape of the contest and red cards for Cedric Cambon and Mihail Venkov in the second period further enhanced Villa's position in the tie.

Litex's Brazilian-influenced midfield dictated the opening period, however, and they might have added to Bulgaria international Ivelin Popov's curling free-kick which opened the scoring in the 10th minute.It was a disastrous beginning to the midlands club's first foray into Europe for seven years as Reo-Coker was adjudged to have bundled over Sandrinho on the right-hand edge of the Aston Villa area.Captain Popov stepped up and curled the free-kick around a posse of bodies and into the far corner, to leave Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel motionless.

The hosts totally bossed the opening exchanges, in fact, the dangerous Tom a constant menace from the right.Tom, a Brazilian with Bulgarian citizenship, forced the first corner of the game as early as the third minute and although that came to nothing, Popov gave a warning of what was to come when he dragged a shot wide.His next attempt was more accurate, however, and the Bulgarians were more at ease on a heavy surface, waterlogged yesterday afternoon, which cut up badly.

Villa began upping the level of their performance and it was their own Bulgarian, Stiliyan Petrov, who began to disrupt the home attacks with regularity.From one such breakdown, Villa launched a counter from which they thought they had levelled.Petrov put lone striker Gabriel Agbonlahor away down the left flank and when James Milner joined in, to cut back onto his right foot, he found Barry with his centre only for a contentious offside decision to nullify his glancing header as the ball nestled in the corner of the net.

Moments earlier Villa had tested the uncertainty of home goalkeeper Golubovic in the air when Barry headed into a dangerous area and Craig Gardner was snuffed out at the far post.Yet Litex, currently second in their domestic league, still carried a serious threat of their own, proved when the lively Tom fed the overlapping Dudu on the left, whose first-time strike was well held by Friedel.They might have been two goals ahead when Martin Laursen's stumble put Wilfred Niflore into a good position on the final minute of the half but he could only hit the side-netting after rounding Friedel.Moments later the game swung as Reo-Coker capitalised on Golubovic's moment of madness to sidefoot in.

Litex's outfield players showed their disgust as they left the field at the interval.But they reacted in a positive manner at the start of the second period with Niflore denied a penalty in the opening seconds when he went down under the challenge of Laursen.Greek referee Christoforos Zografos waved away protests from the orange-shirted hosts, however.Reo-Coker's advanced position meant he was receiving plenty of the ball and it was one of his bursts that resulted in the first booking of the contest.Centre-back Cambon's heavy challenge was punished with a 63rd-minute card and five minutes later another one reduced Litex to 10 men.Agbonlahor's pace exposed Cambon down Litex's right side and as the Villa forward pressed the accelerator, his opponent chose to haul him down in a rugby tackle.

After feigning injury on the ground for a couple of minutes, Cambon returned to his feet to see red.The self-destruction of Litex was completed in the 70th minute when, after giving the ball away cheaply in their own half, they had a second player dismissed.Milner seized on the chance to chip into the area and after Agbonlahor's flick-on cleared Golubovic's leap, full-back Venkov punched the ball off the line.Barry's aim was true from 12 yards and Villa had completed their turnaround despite an unconvincing display.

Villa took further advantage of their numerical advantage when a flowing move put Petrov in on goal in injury time and although Golubovic saved his first attempt, he rolled in at the second attempt.

Toffees claw themselves level

Belgian champions Standard Liege at last got some reward for a fine display against a Merseyside outfit by earning a 2-2 UEFA Cup draw against Everton at Goodison Park.

Last month they twice took Liverpool to the wire in a Champions League qualifier before going out of the competition in bitter, late, circumstances.

But when coach Laszlo Boloni brought his bright young side back to Liverpool for this UEFA Cup first-round first-leg clash Liege deservedly went away with a draw.

They will now believe they are favourites to reach the group stage when they take Everton back to the Stade Maurice Dufrasne stadium in a fortnight.

• Moyes bemoans defensive chaos

Liege were ahead early on through Dieumerci Mbokani, with Ayegbeni Yakubu grabbing an equaliser.

Joseph Yobo's own-goal put Liege ahead again before Segundo Castillo's 25-yarder ultimately forced the equaliser.

From then on Everton lived on their nerves and they will not relish their trip to Belgium.

Leon Osman was declared fit following a knee injury to take his place in Everton's midfield.

His inclusion was the only change from the side that won at Stoke on Sunday, replacing new signing Marouane Fellaini, who was denied the chance to face his former club because he is ineligible in this competition for the Toffees until January.

Everton were aiming to reach the group stages for the second season in succession against the Belgian champions, who consider themselves unfortunate not to have ended Liverpool's Champions League dreams at the qualifying stage last month.

Everton started with plenty of aggression and pushed Liege back, and Marcos Camozzato was booked after only four minutes for penalty-box wrestling at a free-kick.

Victor Anichebe then shot wide from 10-yards out and it looked as if Everton were force an early breakthrough.

But the Belgian champions had given Liverpool a severe examination and stunned Goodison Park with a 10th-minute strike.

Joleon Lescott was caught out on the right and reacted slowly when Wilfried Dalmat forced the ball across goal for Dieumerci Mbokani to guide a close-range shot home.

It should have been two after 23 minutes when Milan Jovanovic struck a low shot that colleague Igor De Camargo somehow deflected wide of a post from a yard out.

Liege continued to attack Lescott on a continually exposed flank. The pace of their attacks had worried Everton into changing their system, having started with three central defenders pushed in tight.

Despite their problems, Everton found themselves level after 23 minutes when Lescott found Mikel Arteta and the Spaniard fed Osman before the ball was played instantly forward for Yakubu to sweep home.

Jovanovic should have made better use of a clear chance when played into space from a Camargo back-heel, while skipper Steven Defour twice had 20-yard shots charged down as Liege continued to create opportunities.

Another run and cross on the right exposed Everton again after 36 minutes.

Camozzato raced away to fire a low cross into the box where Joseph Yobo - assuming that Mbokani was closer behind him that he thought - lunged in to put the ball past Tim Howard.

Four minutes later Everton were level again. And it was Ecuadorian midfielder Segundo Castillo who lashed a poor clearance past Rorys Espinoza from 25-yards out.

Dante Bonfim was booked for a foul on Osman before Yakubu almost scored again with a flicked effort in stoppage time.

Espinoza tipped over an Arteta free-kick soon after the restart, the game showing no signs of being anything but a free-flowing, full-blooded clash.

And as if to underline that, Everton had Anichebe carried off with a shin injury after a crunching tackle with Bonfim and James Vaughan took over after 64 minutes.

Two minutes later Dalmat was booked for a trip on Arteta, who was a constant threat on the left. He almost set-up Yakubu in the box soon after, but the Nigerian lost control at the point of shooting.

The tension got to the two managers, Moyes and Boloni arguing over the Romanian not returning the ball quickly enough for Moyes' liking for a throw.

Mohamed Sarr was then booked for a foul on Vaughan, who soon after saw a header from Arteta's corner flash just over.

Benjamin Nicaise took over from De Camargo with five minutes left, Everton still coming forward and Tim Cahill saw a header saved from Yakubu's cross.

Liege thought they had won a penalty in injury-time when Dalmat went down under pressure from Lescott in the box but the appeals were waved away.

Bent strike rescues Spurs

Darren Bent lifted the gloom around White Hart Lane with the winner at White Hart Lane but Wisla Krakow will take an away goal into the second leg of the UEFA Cup first round clash after the first leg ended 2-1.

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de Ramos and assistant Gus Poyet felt the heat of a narrow win over Wisla.

Bent headed home with 17 minutes remaining, the striker's third in as many matches, to earn Spurs their first victory during a frustrating start to the campaign.

Even that only slightly dampened the spirits of the boisterous away support, whose side lost to Barcelona to get knocked out of the Champions League but now require a 1-0 win in a fortnight to reach the group stages of Europe's second-tier competition.

Wisla's fans were silenced for just a minute during the first half after David Bentley's opener, then Tomas Jirsak levelled to open up the tie.

Spurs head coach Juande Ramos will again be without Roman Pavlyuchenko and Vedran Corluka for that clash as the two new signings are cup-tied, highlighting Spurs' recruitment problems before the transfer deadline.

With a threadbare squad - Ramos had 18 first-team players to pick from after Luka Modric's knee injury - at least it gave him a chance to use Bentley in his familiar station on the right flank after previously using him centrally.

It was a source of embarrassment that Bentley won the club's goal of the month award with a strike from pre-season - evidence that Spurs desperately needed to kick-start their campaign after three defeats and a draw.

Bentley was in the action with less than a minute gone, with Jermaine Jenas hustling Junior Diaz off the ball and sending his team-mate down the right - but goalkeeper Mariusz Pawelek bravely blocked as Bent closed in.

• Poyet: Tough test awaitsRadoslaw Sobolewski had the first effort for Wisla, curling a long-range effort the wrong side of the post after dummying past Aaron Lennon.

Bentley provided the corner for Pawelek's first save of the match, after 24 minutes, when Jonathan Woodgate's header was claimed at the second attempt.

Wisla provided their own threat with aerial balls forward and it took Ledley King to block a shot from Rafal Boguski after the striker latched into a cushioned header.

Pawelek required treatment after throwing himself at Bent again, with Bentley again providing the service. Wisla's goalkeeper was able to continue despite a lump on his head, but he was picking the ball out of his net after Spurs' next move, in the 33rd minute.

Giovani dos Santos sent Lennon away down the left and his cross found its way to the back post, with Bentley sending the ball in the direction it came, around Sobolewski and into Pawelek's far post.

But the lead only lasted a minute, with Boguski nutmegging Gareth Bale before centring, with Jirsak lashing into the net after a lay-off from Pawel Brozek.

Boguski could have given them the lead but Heurelho Gomes produced a stunning save before the interval, turning the ball around the post to deny the striker.

Bentley had dipped a free-kick over the crossbar and also forced a save from Pawelek with a volley across the face of the goal, then the Wisla stopper had to tip over just after the break from Spurs' winger.

Bent had a strike chalked off when he tapped in after a flowing move down the left resulting in Jenas crossing to the far post - replays suggested it was a harsh decision to call it offside.

Ramos' response was to bring on Fraizer Campbell for his debut to replace Lennon, while Chris Gunter was replaced by Jamie O'Hara.

It was Wisla who threatened a second when Mauro Cantoro volleyed over the bar from a promising position but Bent grabbed his goal as the visitors threatened an upset.

Campbell held the ball up on the right and floated in a cross, with Bent climbing over Cleber to send the ball past Pawelek.

Poyet: Tough test awaits Tottenham assistant first-team coach Gus Poyet admitted Spurs must go into the second leg of their UEFA Cup first-round tie with Wisla Krakow looking to win the match.

Spurs took the lead when Aaron Lennon's cross was finished by David Bentley in the 33rd minute, only for Tomas Jirsak to hit back 67 seconds later with a neat chip.

But Darren Bent's second-half header gave head coach Juande Ramos his first victory of the season as they held on to claim a 2-1 win over the Polish outfit at White Hart Lane.

"It will be a tough game in Poland and we have to make sure we do not lose there,'' Poyet told Setanta Sports 1.

"We will have to go there with the mind to win. It will be a totally different game from the one tonight and we are not in a good position so we need to win.''

When asked whether Spurs were naive to concede a goal so quickly after scoring Poyet added that Spurs were right to "take risks'' to try and win the game.

"It was incredible because we were doing our best - we thought it would finish at least 1-0 but the players reacted well and we needed to take a few risks,'' he said.

"We said before the game we needed to take a risk and take our opportunities. We are not the type of team that sits back and defends, we are the type of team that goes to win games.''