Ange Postecoglou will have the Lilywhite half of north London dreaming of long overdue silverware should Manchester City’s curse at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium continue on Friday night.
It’s been 16 torturous years since Spurs lifted a major trophy and the FA Cup represents their best chance of ending that drought in 2023/24.
However, fourth round ties don’t come much tougher than this.
Man City could deploy Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne in tandem for the first time since August, with Pep Guardiola desperate to record his first win in N17.
Here’s how Tottenham could line up for Friday night’s cup tie.
GK: Guglielmo Vicario – ‘Venom’ can make a claim to be Spurs’ player of the season midway through his debut campaign in north London. Vicario is set to be busy on Friday night.
RB: Pedro Porro – Another POTS contender, Porro has enjoyed a stellar campaign and there’s no doubt Man City will be keeping a close eye on the Spaniard after letting him go in 2022.
CB: Cristian Romero – Romero missed the opening Premier League duel of the season through suspension. He’ll relish the potential duel with Haaland.
CB: Micky van de Ven – The Dutchman was also absent from the December meeting. Van de Ven returned to action against Man Utd two weeks ago after a lengthy spell out and his recovery speed will be key in ensuring Haaland doesn’t dominate the space in behind Spurs’ defence.
LB: Destiny Udogie – The Italian continues to impress and there’s no doubt Guardiola will have a ploy in place to tame Udogie in possession.
CM: Rodrigo Bentancur – With Yves Bissouma missing, Bentancur, who scored at Old Trafford, is Ange’s best option for the #6 role against a side like City.
CM: Oliver Skipp – Pape Matar Sarr’s absence will be hard-felt on Friday. Ange will hope Skipp can somewhat replicate the Senegalese midfielder’s remarkable energy by shuttling up and down the right-hand side.
CM: Dejan Kulusevski – James Maddison could make the matchday squad, but a start is unlikely. Spurs’ midfield was ultra aggressive at the Etihad and Postecoglou certainly won’t fear utilising Kulusevski in an #8 role.
RW: Brennan Johnson – The Welshman desperately needed a break after a long run in the starting XI. Johnson has come in for harsh criticism from the fanbase, so he’ll be keen to silence a few on Friday night.
ST: Richarlison – The Brazilian’s hot streak continued at Old Trafford and he’ll have to take on the role of City slayer in Son Heung-min’s absence.
LW: Timo Werner – The German produced a promising debut last time out and is expected to continue in the team on Friday. His speed will be put to the test against Kyle Walker down City’s right.
