Lupoli the big absentee as Spurs put all their big guns on tonight's friendly bill

City fans hoping for a first glimpse of on-loan Fiorentina striker Arturo Lupoli were left disappointed tonight as the 21-year-old Italian was notable only by his absence for this evening's friendly clash with Premiership Spurs.

With no immediate explanation as to where Lupoli might have been, the City faithful were left to settle for a first sighting of Dejan Stefanovic in a City shirt as the 33-year-old Serb settled himself into the heart of the Canary defence.

There he was all set to be joined by his former Fulham team-mate Elliott Omozusi as Gary Doherty's ankle injury – sustained in the tour opener in Sweden – ruled him out of contention. Jason Shackell had to settle for a place on the bench.

With Ryan Bertrand back from England Under-19 duty he was able to make his first start on his return to Norfolk; the real interest, however, lay at the front of the team where the Canaries remained a striker light.

For in Lupoli's absence, Jamie Cureton was the lone striker named by City boss Glenn Roeder for tonight's opener.

He could, in theory, have Wes Hoolahan for company playing in the little hole behind a lone striker; either that or Roeder was going all 4-3-3 with Lee Croft to Cureton's right, Hoolahan to the left.

As for the visitors, Robbie Keane might have been going through the final formalities of his big money switch to Liverpool but there was still plenty of familiar faces on show with ?15.8 million summer signing Luka Modric giving the travelling Spurs fans something to show for their trip up the A14.

England's Ledley King and Jermaine Jenas gave the White Hart Lane side a solid spine; the real interest, probably, came on the bench where Dimitar Berbatov sat and waited for his opportunity.

That would, inevitably, get the tongues wagging; Berbatov, Spurs and Manchester United have been exchanging words all summer – something that will, inevitably, continue right up to the end of the summer transfer window.

Norwich City (4-4-1-1): Marshall; Otsemobor, Bertrand, Stefanovic, Omozusi; Croft, Fotheringham, Clingan, Pattison; Hoolahan; Cureton. Subs (not used): Nelson, Russell, Shackell, Chadwick, Martin, Renton, Eagle, Smith, Daley.

Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-2): Gomes; Gunter, Dawson, King, Zokora; O'Hara, Jenas, Modric, Gilberto; Bent, Dos Santos. Subs (not used): Janson, Bale, Huddlestone, Lennon, Berbatov, Assou-Ekotto, Taarabt.