It’s time to move away from the ever demanding Premier League and the FA Cup is set to be in focus. Following a hectic Christmas period, teams were afforded a bit of a breather ahead of the third round FA Cup ties.
Tottenham Hotspur who are striving hard to break the trophy duck at least this season would view this competition as their most realistic chance at a trophy. They are already out of the Carabao Cup. The Premier League maybe one step too far this season.
In comparison, Burnley need some ray of hope to salvage what has been an extremely disappointing season for them in the top flight. After such an impressive qualification campaign, they are currently 19th in the Premier League table with just 3 wins from 20 games.
The FA Cup offers them some what of a getaway from the harsh realities of the English top flight. Could they prove everyone wrong and go on a run in this competition? They will have to overcome Ange Postecoglou‘s impressive side first.
A lot is at stake with respect to this game. Vincent Kompany‘s men are playing for pride, following their humiliation this season. Tottenham will know that however impressive Postecoglou’s tenure has been so far, the lack of a trophy would only continue haunting them if things don’t turn around quickly.
With all this mind, let’s look at how the game between Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley might play out in the FA Cup and how the two teams might lineup.
DATE & TIME
January 5, 2023, 8:00pm UK time
TEAM NEWS
Over the past few weeks, we have been doing this section frequently and not much seems to be changing on the injury front. Micky van de Ven is close to returning to action but the Burnley game might just be ‘one too soon’ for him. He will definitely be back for Manchester United though. Apart from that, Manor Solomon, James Maddison, Ivan Perisic and Cristian Romero all continue to be injured.
Spurs have lost both Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr to the AFCON which could go on for more than a month from now. Luckily for them, Rodrigo Bentancur has made a miraculous return from injury a month ahead of schedule. Most importantly, captain Son Heung-min will miss out, as he is away at the Asian Cup on national duty.
Burnley on the other hand have quite a few problems of their own. Jordan Beyer and Hjalmar Ekdal are ruled out for the away side. More than injuries, their problem has been with form and the inability to adapt to the rigours of the league. How Kompany could turn things around in such a short space of time is anyone’s guess.
MATCH ANALYSIS
Tottenham Hotspur:
Don’t expect anything other than a 4-2-3-1 formation from Postecoglou. Considering how important a trophy is, it will not be a surprise to see the Australian put out a strong first-choice eleven.
Guglielmo Vicario is expected to start in goal, despite the presence of Fraser Forster. Postecoglou does not have many options to choose from in the backline. Destiny Udogie, Ben Davies, Emerson Royal and Pedro Porro are likely to line up from left to right in defence.
In midfield is where the conundrum arises. Obviously, Sarr and Bissouma are out. Rodrigo Bentancur might be rested for this game considering he is returning from a long-term injury. In his absence, Oliver Skipp and Giovani Lo Celso could start at the base of midfield, although Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg could also be in line for a start.
Dejan Kulusevski will likely start as the #10. Brennan Johnson is likely to continue on the right and Bryan Gil who could have a big month in a Spurs shirt on the left. Richarlison will round off this attack.
Burnley:
The Clarets would likely start in a 4-4-2. There is no doubt that James Trafford would start inbetween the sticks. If Burnley are to get anything out of the game, they will need the English youngster to have an exceptional game.
Vitinho and Charlie Taylor are set to play as full-backs, aiming to neutralize Tottenham’s wingers and support their central defenders. Hannes Delcroix and Dara O’Shea will be positioned at the core of the defence.
On the flanks, Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Wilson Odobert will take up their roles. Their responsibilities include backing the fullbacks and contributing to counterattacks. In the midfield, Josh Cullen and Josh Brownhill are expected to play centrally, focusing on regaining possession and disrupting the opposition’s plays. Leading Burnley’s attack will be Zeki Amdouni and Lyle Foster.
PREDICTED LINEUPS
Tottenham Hotspur: (4-2-3-1): Guglielmo Vicario; Pedro Porro, Emerson Royal, Ben Davies, Destiny Udogie; Oliver Skipp, Giovani Lo Celso; Bryan Gil, Dejan Kulusevski, Brennan Johnson; Richarlison.
Burnley: (4-4-2): James Trafford; Vitinho, Hannes Delcroix, Dara O’Shea, Charlie Taylor; Berg Gudmundsson, Josh Cullen, Josh Brownhill, Wilson Odobert; Zeki Amdouni, Lyle Foster.
PREDICTIONS
I fear for Burnley here. Despite all the names that are missing for Tottenham, there would be no surprise if Spurs absolutely steamroll their opponents in this game. We could see this game ending 5-1 in Ange Postecoglou’s favour.
