Sunderland boss denies Phillips move

Despite consistent denials from the Wearside club, Spurs fans remain convinced that the 28-year-old goal ace will be moving to the North London club in the summer in a £12m deal.

Sunderland boss Peter Reid is annoyed about the constant speculation which surrounds his star player. The latest tabloid story suggested that after Arsenal, whom Phillips supported as a boy, indicated they were not interested in a £15m transfer, Tottenham were ready to move in and would offer former Dinamo Kiev striker Sergei Rebrov plus a fee of £5m.

But so far there has been no move from anyone for Phillips, who remains bemused by the continuing speculation but says he's quite happy in the North-East.

Reid, however, is irritated by the suggestions that he is to lose his best player.

He said: "I'm not talking about specific football clubs being linked with Kevin Phillips because I'd be here all day. There is a list and I don't want to go into it.

"Suffice to say that no-one from the clubs who have been linked with him over recent months has been in touch with me as manager."

Reid added: "He's been brilliant. In a disappointing season I've got to say that the kid has been outstanding."

Reid took the unusual step of revealing that he would be playing his latest signing, Patrick Mboma, alongside Phillips from the start of today's game.

Mboma, signed on loan from Italian club Parma until the end of the season, came on after half-time against Newcastle and showed some good touches.

Reid said: "I think they have the makings of a good partnership.

"Patrick can handle a football and he's got a really good spring, but the biggest thing is that he is a good character to have around.

"He likes a laugh and takes the mickey and I like that in people.

"He's settled in effortlessly and it's like he's been here for ages. I'm really pleased with him. He's a lovely lad and he's given us a real boost."

Reid has a lot of time for former England boss Glenn Hoddle, who has encouraged Spurs to play entertaining football, and feels that the surprise Worthington Cup final defeat by Blackburn Rovers could make life harder for the Wearsiders.

He said: "Glenn Hoddle's got a lot of good players in his squad - Teddy Sheringham and Les Ferdinand are a handful and Darren Anderton is in really good form. But it's up to my players to perform.

"Glenn and I go back a long way, right to when we played against each other for Bolton and Spurs at the ages of 16 and 17 and we get on great.

"Spurs knock it around really well and there might be a backlash after their Worthington Cup final defeat."

Reid knows his side will have vociferous backing at White Hart Lane, despite the disappointment of defeat by arch-rivals Newcastle United on Sunday.

He said: "It hasn't been the greatest of seasons but the fans have stuck by us.

"I'm not one for setting targets in terms of points. It's just a case of claiming as many points as we can by winning as many games as we can."

He added: "We've been creating chances and sooner or later they will start to go in.

"With players of the calibre of Kevin Phillips and Kevin Kilbane we have too many good players here for that not to start happening. I hope it starts against Spurs."

Meanwhile Quinn, who will be on the bench, has stressed the importance of today's game.

He said: "A win could get Spurs up into the European race and a win for us could get us out of the danger zone.

"Five of our last six away games this season are in London, so how our season goes now depends on how we play there.

"We will try everything we can to turn it around and get to 40 points as soon as possible. It would be a huge lift for the fans and the players and would relieve a lot of the tension and anxiety."

But he stressed: "It has never entered anyone's mind that we will be in a dogfight with three or four games to go. There's far too much quality in the side for that to happen."

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