Adebayor could be back in Spurs' fold for Man City clash

Tottenham Hotspur's forgotten man, Emmanuel Adebayor, could be an attacking option for Sunday's Premier League trip to Manchester City.

Coach Andre Villas-Boas said on Friday that Adebayor was in contention for his first appearance of the season after he played alongside Roberto Soldado in a 4-4-2 system in a behind-closed-doors friendly during the international break.

"Our likely approach is to go with one up front," Villas-Boas told a news conference, suggesting his striker would be Soldado or Jermain Defoe.

"They (Soldado and Defoe) are very near each other at the moment and it could be a possibility that even Ade could play."

Adebayor has not played for Spurs this season after being ordered to train with the reserves.

The Londoners, however, have struggled up front, scoring just nine times in 11 league games including three penalties and one from open play by Soldado, who joined the club from Valencia for 30 million euros ($40.6 million) in August.

Former Arsenal and Manchester City forward Adebayor, who scored five goals in 18 league starts last season, seems to have fought his way back into the good books of Villas-Boas.

"Adebayor on his own or with another striker is a great player," said the coach. "But we have two performing strikers in Soldado and Defoe.

"Obviously, Adebayor hasn't had a chance to get back in the team yet. I'm sure that whenever that happens he will perform as well as the others."

Meanwhile, one good display for England has not guaranteed keeper Joe Hart a return to the Manchester City side with manager Manuel Pellegrini refusing to say he would be recalled for the match against Spurs.

Some costly mistakes led to 26-year-old Hart being replaced by Romanian Costel Pantilimon for the Premier League club's past four games.

Hart made several fine saves during England's 1-0 defeat by Germany on Tuesday, but Pantilimon has impressed since getting his chance, leaving Pellegrini with a dilemma.

"We don't know," Pellegrini said on Friday when asked about Hart. "We will decide tomorrow the starting XI, but I think it was very useful for Joe, the game for England.

"What did I think of his performance for England? I think he did very well. It is one thing you ask me about the national team, another thing to ask about Manchester City."