Sunderland defender Michael Turner is hoping to re-live one of his best memories in football to date as he heads for Tottenham on Saturday.

A little more than 12 months ago, the Londoner was part of the Hull side which, eight days after claiming a remarkable 2-1 victory at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, went to White Hart Lane and emerged once again with all three points.

The two victories came in a blistering start to life in the Premier League for the newly-promoted Tigers, and by the time they secured their sixth victory in nine attempts at West Brom the following month, there was no hint of the desperate fight for survival which was to come.

This time around, Turner will run out at Spurs, who lost 3-0 to the Gunners last weekend, wearing Black Cats colours, and hoping a repeat of last season's heroics will help fuel Sunderland's attempt to establish themselves in the upper reaches of the league table.

The 25-year-old said: "That period was very memorable. Beating Arsenal and Spurs away was an unbelievable achievement. They were great times.

"We are going into the game on the back of a good result at the weekend and they have been beaten in the North London derby, so they are going to be wanting to get things back on track.

"But it should be a good game and it's one we are looking forward to."

While Spurs were losing at the Emirates, Turner and his team-mates were staging a concerted fightback to draw 2-2 with West Ham at the Stadium of Light despite having Kenwyne Jones sent off before the break.

That left them sitting in eighth place in the table, just two points adrift of the Londoners in fifth.

However, manager Steve Bruce insists there is a long way to go before his side can be considered in the same breath as Harry Redknapp's men.

Bruce said: "Spurs have always had a great history, a great tradition, a great way of playing. They have always had great players.

"When Harry took over 12 months ago, they were bottom of the table. His big challenge will be to get Tottenham to compete in the top four, that's what he will be trying to look for.

"It's going to be very, very difficult for him, but they have got a chance to do it. They, Everton, Aston Villa, Manchester City, all traditional, big history clubs, always want to try to challenge.

"For us, the challenge has got to be to get established as a Premier League club.

"Tottenham have been in it since 1993 when it started, one of seven or eight clubs.

"We are one of 45 who have been up and down two or three times, so the main aim for us is to get established as a Premier League club before we can start being even compared to someone like Spurs."

That said, he will send his players out under orders to return with the kind of result they achieved at the same venue last season when Djibril Cisse's debut day goal secured a 2-1 win for the Wearsiders.

But if they are to achieve that, they will have to do so without the suspended Jones and skipper Lorik Cana, who collected his fifth booking of the campaign last weekend.

With Lee Cattermole a long-term absentee and John Mensah and Bolo Zenden expected to miss out once again, the depth of Bruce's squad will be tested to the full.

However, while the manager admits there is a need for further strengthening, he will not spend for spending's sake when the January transfer window comes around.

Bruce said: "We are a little bit light, we all know that, but that's what I decided to do.

"If we can add one or two more at Christmas, then great. But you don't usually get the best ones at Christmas, that's for sure."