Scales to be spared baptism of fire

TOTTENHAM are expected to spare John Scales a daunting debut at Leeds today after snapping him up from under the Yorkshire club's noses last week.

The £2.6 million former Liverpool defender looked all set to join Leeds until Liverpool gave Spurs chairman Alan Sugar permissions to enter the race and the White Hart Lane supremo demanded a decision from Scales before he would let him leave the negotiating chamber.

The answer was "yes" and led to an almost inevitable outburst of fury from Elland Road where chairman Bill Fotherby believed he had already got his man. The stage was set for a hectic afternoon in front of the Leeds fans by a strange quirk of the fixture computer.

Scales played 45 minutes of a Spurs reserve match on Wednesday night to test his recovery from a groin injury, but manager Gerry Francis pointed out yesterday: "He hasn't had any other match practice for over four weeks. He is in the squad for the Leeds game, but there is no guarantee he will play". Francis would also have to change his team's entire defensive strategy to accommodate Scales or, even more unlikely, drop either Sol Campbell, the new England centre half, or Scotland's Colin Calderwood.

His long term plan could well be to switch to a three at the back line up, but more probable is the powerful Campbell's move into midfield.

Steffen Iversen, the £2.6 million striker from Rosenborg, is now likely to be the only Tottenham new boy in the starting line up.

Leeds boss George Graham is poised to unveil his own Norwegian "surprise package". That's the description he has given 31 year old Gunnar Halle, who arrived in a £400,000 move from Oldham this week.

Halle could replace the out of sorts Gary Kelly as Leeds attempt to extend a record of three consecutive clean sheets in four of the last five matches.

Leeds top scorer Rod Wallace is expected to recover from a thigh strain in time to push his claims for a recall and, after inheriting a long injury list - when he took charge in September, Graham at last has competition for places.

Meanwhile, Middlesbrough's wayward Brazilian star Emerson steps back into the side against Liverpool at Anfield today.

The gifted midfielder flew back to Brazil again last month and threatened not to return to England because his wife was homesick. Manager Bryan Robson has now held clear the air talks with the apparently unsettled couple and insisted: "Things are looking a lot better".

Liverpool are still convinced that Emerson represents the biggest danger of another shock setback to their title chasing hopes following last week's home defeat by Sheffield Wednesday.

Liverpool skipper John Barnes pinpointed the midfielder's talents as Boro's key weapon, more potent, he believes, than even the striking prowess of Fabrizio Ravanelli who made his presence felt in Premiership football with a hat trick against them in August.

Emerson's return is clearly a gamble for Robson and a rearranged game could backfire on his under strength team which has not won in 11 Premiership outings.

He is desperately hoping for a return to scoring form by 16 goal Ravanelli, who has not hit the target in the last three games and has been obliged, once more, to state his commitment to the club in the wake of reports that AC Milan are poised to "rescue him" if results do not improve.