Alan Smith is on fire - five goals in two games and he went to Buckingham Palace on Tuesday night with the rest of his England team-mates. But there's a major obstacle in his way this Sunday; breaking strikers' hearts is a way of life for Tottenham's American goalkeeper Kasey Keller, and he won't want a repeat of Thierry Henry's wonder goal to go past him at White Hart Lane.

Should be a fascinating TheFA.com match-up of the weekend...

KASEY KELLER (Goalkeeper, Spurs) v
ALAN SMITH (Forward, Leeds)

KNOWN FOR...

Keller: American intellectual with sociology degree, wearing glasses, 30 shut-outs in 60 US appearances, been to three World Cups

Smith: Yorkshire lad with short temper, Four goals in UEFA Cup game last week, choirboy looks, branded 'thug' by his own manager David O'Leary

HIGH

Keller: Stands firm against Juninho and co to help Leicester win 1997 Worthington Cup, the club's first trophy for 33 years

Smith: Caps man-of-the-match performance for England in September with a flying header to score against Portugal

LOW

Keller: Lost his place in the American team at the 2002 World Cup to friend and rival Brad Friedel

Smith: Sent off for eighth time in his career against Middlesbrough last month



CURRENT FORM

Keller: The American is one player who can't be blamed for Tottenham's recent slump in form. Won the battle with Neil Sullivan to wear the Spurs No1 shirt last season and his rival's injury has allowed Keller to excel this term. Even so, Spurs have lost four of their last five games and Keller was beaten by 'goal of the century' from Thierry Henry in the north London derby on Saturday.

Smith: After scoring only twice in the first three months of the season, Smith has struck five times in the last two game; four against Hapoel Tel Aviv in the UEFA Cup and then again against Bolton on Sunday. Smith is regarded as the one Leeds player who has stood out in a mixed season for the Elland Road club, even prompting speculation that Manchester United want to sign him - a theory that leaves the Leeds board and faithful aghast

WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT THEMSELVES

Keller: "I am 32 and don't see myself as a second choice goalkeeper"

Smith: "I know I have to keep a cool head in Europe and against Hapoel I responded in the right way" 

HISTORY

Keller: Hailing from the state of Washington in the USA, Keller made his national team as a 20-year-old and was understudy to Tony Meola at Italia 90 - the first of three World Cups for Keller. His career in England began with Millwall in 1992 where he impressed for five seasons before Martin O'Neill signed him for Leicester.

Keller won the 1997 League Cup, keeping a clean sheet in the replay against Middlesbrough, and reached the final two years later where The Foxes were beaten by Spurs. He then moved to Spain with Rayo Vallecano. On the international stage, he established himself as the first-choice American goalkeeper in the mid-90s, captaining the team on home soil in the 1996 Olympics and playing twice in the 1998 World Cup.

Spurs brought him back from La Liga but he endured a frustrating time as Neil Sullivan's deputy before winning his place back towards the end of last season. This season, he has been an ever-present and captured the imagination with a string of saves against Manchester United, eventually beaten only by a Ruud van Nistelrooy penalty.

Smith: One of the most controversial figures in the modern game, 22-year-old Smith has an angelic face, sublime skills - and a rotten disciplinary record. He joined boyhood heroes Leeds as a skinny 10-year-old, and got his first-team chance just a month past his 18th birthday - scoring with his first touch at Anfield! Smith ended up with nine goals in 16 games in his debut season of 1998/99.

The arrival of Mark Viduka gave Smith his perfect partner and in 2000 he scored a historic goal against Munich 1860 to put Leeds into the Champions League. David O'Leary's 'young kids' eventually reached the semi-finals but it wasn't long before the manager had branded his aggressive forward a 'thug' in a bid to curb his poor disciplinary record.

Following his dismissal against Cardiff in the 2002 FA Cup - a match Leeds lost - the club even called in former referee Steve Lodge to talk to Smith on a one-to-one basis.

Now it's Terry Venables in charge at Elland Road; Smith has been the club's best player this season but has also been sent off twice. At England level, he marked his third cap with his first goal against Portugal in September.

COMPARISON

"Kasey gave the greatest performance I have ever seen by a goalkeeper. It was an honour to be on the field with him." Brazilian legend Romario after USA beat Brazil 1-0 in the 1998 Concacaf Gold Cup

"Alan has got to become whiter than white because he knows what will happen if he isn't." Former Leeds manager David O'Leary

Compiled by Joe Bernstein

· Tottenham play Leeds in the Premiership at Anfield on Sunday November 24