Sports Mole

Despite his complaints in midweek, Everton manager David Moyes will not be able to make many personnel changes when Tottenham Hotspur visit Goodison Park on Sunday.

Moyes was honest and went as far as saying that the squad he has inherited from Sean Dyche is not good enough to be where he wants them to be, and January recruits are an absolute must.

Nothing has materialised in the transfer market since their 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa on Wednesday though, so Moyes will have the same threadbare squad to choose from ahead of the visit from Spurs, who start the weekend just two places above them.

The only change will likely be on the right-wing, where Jesper Lindstrom's promising impact should see him rewarded with a start ahead of Jack Harrison, who was hugely disappointing before being hooked on 58 minutes against Villa.

Everton's problem remains putting the ball in the back of the net, and despite the best efforts of Lindstrom in injury time, setting Dominic Calvert-Lewin up on a plate, the number nine scuffed his effort into the Gwladys Street, condemning the Toffees to a third straight defeat without scoring.

Moyes seemed reluctant to give Beto many minutes on Wednesday night, so that suggests he will start with Calvert-Lewin again, despite another frustrating appearance from the striker, who has now gone 16 games without a goal, closing in on his record of 23 matches from last season.

Armando Broja is also unavailable, and looks like he will be out for the next three months after damaging ankle ligaments in the FA Cup win over Peterborough United last weekend.

It appears as though Chelsea will only take the loanee back if Everton pay off the rest of his loan contract, but no decision has yet been made regarding that, even though the club will be desperate to get another loan player in this month.

While goals are a problem, creating chances are too, with Dwight McNeil still out with the knee injury he picked up at the start of December.

Despite now not having played in six matches, McNeil has still created twice as many chances as any other Everton player this season, and three times as many 'big chances', illustrating the importance of him in attack and from set pieces.

Captain Seamus Coleman remains out, and young duo Tim Iroegbunam and Youssef Chermiti are not ready to return either, but there is better news regarding midfielder James Garner.

After spending over three months on the sidelines with a back injury, Garner should be available this weekend, but following such a lengthy layoff, a place on the bench is most likely for him.

Everton possible starting lineup:

Pickford; Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Lindstrom, Gueye, Mangala, Doucoure, Ndiaye; Calvert-Lewin

Click here to see how Spurs could line up for this encounter.

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Premier League football returns to Goodison Park for the second time in a week when Everton host Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon.

David Moyes will take charge of his second game since returning to the club, while Ange Postecoglou has been given assurances that his days are not numbered at Tottenham, despite their worrying league position.

Match preview

Despite being under new management, it was the same old story for Everton in their clash with Aston Villa on Wednesday night, as yet another gilt-edged chance went begging in the dying stages, costing them a potentially crucial point.

There was no new manager bounce for Moyes, who saw Dominic Calvert-Lewin squander a huge opportunity in injury time, resulting in a 1-0 defeat at home to Unai Emery's side, their first win in six matches on the road.

That extended Everton's dismal record against Villa, with the Toffees now winless in 12 league matches against them, and it means they have won just one Premier League match in 12.

Seven goals from open play in 20 matches so far this season is far and away Everton's worst ratio in the Premier League era, with their three successive recent defeats all coming without scoring.

Everton have now become just the fourth team in PL history to fire a blank in at least 12 of their first 20 games of a season, and after match one, Moyes was frank and honest about the current state of the squad.

The new manager has called for instant improvement to the squad, suggesting that the current crop may not be good enough to save them from relegation.

Fortunately for the Toffees, Wolves, Leicester City and Ipswich Town all lost in midweek, so they remain 16th, one point above the drop zone, ahead of two more crucial home games before the rearranged Merseyside derby next month.

Everton will welcome Leicester to Goodison on February 1, but first up is a Spurs team that start the weekend just two places above them in the Premier League table.

That is down to another North London derby defeat in midweek, where Tottenham were beaten 2-1 at the Emirates, losing home and away to Arsenal in the same PL season for just the fifth time.

Postecoglou saw his team go ahead thanks to Son Heung-min, but an unfortunate own goal by Dominic Solanke, and an error by Antonin Kinsky for Leandro Trossard's effort saw the Gunners turn the game around in quick succession.

That was a seventh loss in 11 games, and wins for West Ham United and Manchester United saw them both go above Spurs in the week, leaving Postecoglou's men level on points with 15th-placed Crystal Palace.

While the pressure has been ramped up and Postecoglou is now the favourite to be sacked next in the Premier League, this game has not been labelled as 'do or die' for the Aussie manager, with the Spurs board still backing the boss, if reports on Friday are to be believed.

The numbers do not look good though, because an 11th defeat of the season represents Tottenham's joint-highest at this stage of a Premier League season, and they have taken just 24 points so far.

This should be the perfect fixture for Tottenham to respond in though, given their dominant hold over Everton in recent years.

Spurs have not lost in front of a crowd against Everton since 2012, since going 21 games unbeaten, and the Toffees are one of the few sides they have kept a clean sheet against this season, doing so in the 4-0 thrashing they handed out in August.

At Goodison though, these affairs are often more closely-fought, with all five games ending in a draw here since Spurs won 6-2 in 2018.

Everton Premier League form:

Everton form (all competitions):

Tottenham Hotspur Premier League form:

Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):

Team News

Everton could welcome James Garner back to the squad for the first time in over three months this weekend, following his return to full training after sustaining a back injury in October.

Key creative spark Dwight McNeil remains out though, while captain Seamus Coleman, and young duo Tim Iroegbunam and Youssef Chermiti will also not make it in time.

Armando Broja is set to miss the next three months after damaging ankle ligaments in the FA Cup win over Peterborough United last week, but no decision has been made yet about whether Everton will pay off the rest of his loan contract and send him back to Chelsea in order to bring another loanee in this month.

Spurs have a few injury doubts that have cropped up in the aftermath of their defeat to Arsenal on Wednesday, with Brennan Johnson and Yves Bissouma both doubtful.

Timo Werner will now miss the next three weeks with a hamstring tweak, joining Destiny Udogie, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven on the sidelines, who are all battling the same issue.

Ben Davies should be involved though after missing around six weeks with his own hamstring issue, and after making a comeback on Wednesday, former Everton man Richarlison will hope for more minutes, after scoring three times against his old employers last season.

Everton possible starting lineup:

Pickford; Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Lindstrom, Gueye, Mangala, Doucoure, Ndiaye; Calvert-Lewin

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Kinsky; Pedro Porro, Dragusin, Gray, Spence; Bergvall, Sarr, Maddison; Kulusevski, Solanke, Son

We say: Everton 1-3 Tottenham Hotspur

While Everton cannot score, that is certainly not Tottenham's problem, because the visitors have netted nearly three times as many goals this season, and unless the Toffees can get attacking reinforcements through the door, that is not going to change.

Even their often stingy defence has been breached far too often for their liking recently, leaving Everton in a perilous position, so they may be looking for favours from other teams this weekend.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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Peering over their shoulder after an 11th Premier League defeat of the campaign, Tottenham Hotspur have many wrongs to right away to Everton on Sunday afternoon.

Ange Postecoglou's men took a shock lead in Wednesday's North London derby against Arsenal, but their jubilation did not last long, as the Gunners fought back to prevail 2-1 at the Emirates.

The Lilywhites have now failed to win any of their last five matches in the top flight and remain in the bottom half of the Premier League standings as a result, only eight points clear of the relegation zone.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up Tottenham's latest injury and suspension news ahead of the showdown with Everton, who lost 1-0 to Aston Villa on David Moyes's homecoming in midweek.

Timo Werner

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: Unknown

Timo Werner was Spurs' one fresh injury concern before the North London derby, having suffered a hamstring problem in the recent FA Cup win over Tamworth, but it is still not clear how severe the attacker's problem is.

Fraser Forster

Status: Major doubt

Type of injury: Illness

Possible return date: January 19 (vs. Everton)

Ill goalkeeper Fraser Forster failed to make the matchday squad yet again on Wednesday and is a doubt for Sunday's trip to Merseyside too, but Antonin Kinsky has already established himself as Guglielmo Vicario's main backup.

Rodrigo Bentancur

Status: Out

Type of injury: Head

Possible return date: January 26 (vs. Leicester City)

Rodrigo Bentancur needed treatment for 10 minutes on the field after suffering a head injury against Liverpool in the EFL Cup last week, but he escaped with just a concussion and will be back once he has finished his two-week protocol.

Destiny Udogie

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: February 16 (vs. Manchester United)

Destiny Udogie was the victim of a severe hamstring injury against Wolverhampton Wanderers in December, and the left-back is not scheduled to return until the middle of February.

Guglielmo Vicario

Status: Out

Type of injury: Ankle

Possible return date: February 25 (vs. Manchester City)

Guglielmo Vicario is making steady progress in his return from an ankle fracture, Postecoglou has confirmed, and the Italian is expected to make his competitive comeback in late February.

Cristian Romero

Status: Out

Type of injury: Thigh

Possible return date: January 26 (vs. Leicester City)

Cristian Romero hurt his thigh in the 4-3 loss to Chelsea in the middle of December, and Sunday's game will come too soon for the Argentine, but a return against Leicester City on January 26 has not yet been ruled out.

Micky van de Ven

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: January 26 (vs. Leicester)

Likewise, Micky van de Ven picked up a new hamstring problem against the Blues last month, but he is also on track to return towards the end of January.

Wilson Odobert

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: Unknown

Wilson Odobert has played just six matches this season due to two separate hamstring injuries, and he is still on the way back from the operation he underwent in November, with no timeframe being placed on his return.

Ben Davies

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: January 26 (vs. Leicester)

Ben Davies was initially on track to return from a hamstring injury at the start of the month, but his comeback was delayed by a couple of weeks due to a setback, and he will not be available for the trip to Everton.

TOTTENHAM'S SUSPENSION LIST

Tottenham have no players suspended for this game.

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Bitter foes will renew hostilities in Wednesday's titanic Premier League North London derby, as Arsenal host Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates.

The two fierce rivals cross paths on the back of differing knockout results, as while Spurs have overcome Liverpool and Tamworth in the EFL Cup and FA Cup recently, the Gunners were beaten by Newcastle United and Manchester United in back-to-back games.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up the team news for both clubs ahead of Wednesday's blockbuster contest.

ARSENAL vs. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

ARSENAL

Out: Gabriel Jesus (knee), Ethan Nwaneri (muscle), Bukayo Saka (hamstring), Ben White (knee), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee)

Doubtful: Riccardo Calafiori (muscle)

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Tierney; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Sterling, Havertz, Trossard

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Out: Destiny Udogie (hamstring), Ben Davies (hamstring), Timo Werner (hamstring), Micky van de Ven (hamstring), Guglielmo Vicario (ankle), Wilson Odobert (hamstring), Cristian Romero (thigh), Rodrigo Bentancur (head)

Doubtful: Fraser Forster (illness)

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Kinsky; Porro, Gray, Dragusin, Spence; Bergvall, Sarr, Maddison; Kulusevski, Solanke, Son

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match .

Tottenham Hotspur new boy Antonin Kinsky is expected to make his Premier League debut when Spurs tackle Arsenal in Wednesday's mouthwatering North London derby at the Emirates Stadium.

The Czech shot-stopper has kept back-to-back clean sheets in his first two appearances for Ange Postecoglou's side, most recently helping Spurs survive a few scares against National League side Tamworth in the FA Cup.

Kinsky will now earn a Premier League baptism of fire in the midweek derby, which Destiny Udogie (hamstring), Ben Davies (hamstring), Richarlison (hamstring), Micky van de Ven (hamstring), Guglielmo Vicario (ankle), Wilson Odobert (hamstring), Cristian Romero (thigh) and Rodrigo Bentancur (head) will all be absent for.

Spurs' defensive fitness crisis means that there will be no respite for Pedro Porro, Archie Gray and Radu Dragusin at the back either, but Djed Spence should replace Sergio Reguilon on the left-hand side.

Postecoglou may also feel the need to spare Yves Bissouma following his 120-minute run-out at Tamworth, so EFL Cup semi-final hero Lucas Bergvall is in line for a midfield start alongside James Maddison and Pape Sarr.

It should be all change for Spurs in the final third, though, as Dominic Solanke, Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski come in for Timo Werner, Mikey Moore and Brennan Johnson.

Son came off the bench to set up Kulusevski's effort at Tamworth, and he needs just one more Premier League assist to break Spurs' club record - his current total of 68 is level with Darren Anderton.

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Kinsky; Porro, Gray, Dragusin, Spence; Bergvall, Sarr, Maddison; Kulusevski, Solanke, Son

Still the only team with their unbeaten Premier League home record intact this season, Arsenal are on a mission to right their recent knockout wrongs in Wednesday's mouthwatering North London derby with Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates.

While the Gunners' FA Cup run ended at the hands of holders Manchester United at the weekend, Ange Postecoglou's men put three past Tamworth without reply, albeit only after being taken to an additional 30 minutes.

Match preview

The walls of the Emirates have fallen down if Arsenal's last two home horror shows are anything to go by, as Mikel Arteta's troops have already ceded their hopes of FA Cup glory and will surely do the same in the EFL Cup after a pair of alarmingly toothless attacking displays.

Five days on from their gut-wrenching home loss to Newcastle United in the latter competition - where they were taught a harsh lesson in attacking ruthlessness - Arsenal were left to lament another pitiful performance in front of goal against 10-man Man United, who defied the odds to keep their FA Cup title defence going.

Altay Bayindir was the hero with two penalty saves, and Kai Havertz was the villain with a catalogue of shocking misses on a day where Gabriel Jesus was carried off on a stretcher with an all-too familiar knee injury, strengthening Gooners' arguments for a shiny new attacker in January.

However, the defiant Arteta has publicly backed his existing players to dig themselves out of their hole as they endeavour to avoid losing three games in a row for the first time since January 2024; defeat in the derby could see them sit nine points below Liverpool having played a game more depending on how the Reds fare at Nottingham Forest.

The second-placed Gunners may now be without a clean sheet in their last four games in all tournaments, but none of their last four Premier League contests at the Emirates has seen Arsenal concede, and they could do worse than ask Tamworth for pointers on how to keep Spurs at bay for 90 minutes.

The Tottenham faithful may have enjoyed Sunday evening's viewing, but their side's sorry performance against National League opposition would have been an extremely painful watch, at least until their Premier League quality finally showed in extra time at the Lamb Ground.

Minnows Tamworth more than earned their brief reprieve against Postecoglou's outfit and were not starved of chances to pull off a monumental cup upset, but Nathan Tshikuna's own goal, Dejan Kulusevski's effort and Brennan Johnson's strike spared Tottenham an extraordinary embarrassment.

Sticking to their Jekyll and Hyde theme, Spurs could not break down Tamworth in 90 minutes despite conquering Premier League leaders Liverpool in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final, and Postecoglou's men are now chasing three straight wins for the first time since early October.

However, the visitors to the Emirates have only taken one point from the last 12 on offer in the top flight and remain in the bottom half of the Premier League standings, mathematically closer to the relegation zone than the top seven despite their praiseworthy tally of 42 goals.

The Lilywhites were stunted in September's 1-0 home defeat to their bitter rivals, though, and they head to the Emirates having conceded in a staggering 25 consecutive Premier League games away to Arsenal, offering the home crowd hope of derby delirium even in their side's current attacking state.

Arsenal Premier League form:

Arsenal form (all competitions):

Tottenham Hotspur Premier League form:

Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):

Team News

Just as he was starting to find his feet in North London again, the extremely unfortunate Jesus damaged his knee yet again in the loss to Man United, although it is still not known whether the Brazil international has only suffered a scare or a more sinister problem.

Either way, Jesus is guaranteed to miss the derby alongside Ethan Nwaneri (muscle), Bukayo Saka (hamstring), Ben White (knee) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), while Riccardo Calafiori is also a serious doubt after missing the FA Cup loss with a muscular injury.

After 120 minutes of gruelling and fruitless efforts on Sunday, it would not be a shock to see Arteta change just under half of his team for Wednesday's crunch clash, although he may have no other option but to persist with the increasingly wasteful Havertz up front.

As for Postecoglou's men, it should be as you were on the injury front, with Destiny Udogie (hamstring), Ben Davies (hamstring), Richarlison (hamstring), Micky van de Ven (hamstring), Guglielmo Vicario (ankle), Wilson Odobert (hamstring), Cristian Romero (thigh) and Rodrigo Bentancur (head) missing out again.

Only Fraser Forster - who has been struggling with an illness - might force his way back into contention, but January signing Antonin Kinsky has quickly won Postecoglou over and should make his Premier League debut in the North London derby; a true baptism of fire.

Similarly to their hosts, a handful of changes should be on the cards for the Lilywhites, as Son Heung-min, Kulusevski, Dominic Solanke and EFL Cup match-winner Lucas Bergvall step back into the fray.

Arsenal possible starting lineup:

Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Tierney; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Sterling, Havertz, Trossard

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Kinsky; Porro, Gray, Dragusin, Spence; Bergvall, Sarr, Maddison; Kulusevski, Solanke, Son

We say: Arsenal 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur

The eagerly-anticipated North London derby seldom fails to deliver on the ferocity front, but as both sets of players completed two-hour FA Cup marathons after their EFL Cup exertions, this one may not be a classic quality-wise.

Confidently predicting which version of Spurs will show up is an impossible ask, but their struggles at Tamworth - even with a second-string attack starting the clash - are a serious cause for concern.

Arsenal are hardly firing on all cylinders up front either, but the Gunners are never short of chances to put the ball in the back of the net, and they may just need to take one of them on Wednesday to complete a morale-boosting derby double.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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Tottenham Hotspur attacker Dejan Kulusevski is supposedly being targeted by Napoli manager Antonio Conte as a possible replacement for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Conte dropped the bombshell on Saturday that Kvaratskhelia had asked to leave the club, and Paris Saint-Germain are believed to be edging closer to a deal for the Georgian sensation.

Liverpool were also tipped to move for Kvaratskhelia were he to become available, but the 23-year-old is already said to have reached an agreement in principle with PSG, who are now working to strike an accord with Napoli.

The exit of 'Kvaradona' will leave Conte with Matteo Politano, Cyril Ngonge, David Neres and Alessio Zerbin as his wide options, and the Partenopei are expected to scope out a replacement with any monies raised.

According to a report from Tuttomercatoweb, Napoli have drawn up a three-man shortlist of ideal heirs to the Kvaratskhelia throne, and Tottenham's Kulusevski is among them.

Kulusevski 'appreciated' by ex-Spurs boss Conte

© Imago

The Sweden international was brought to North London in January 2022 when Conte was at the Spurs helm, joining on an initial 18-month loan deal from Juventus before sealing a permanent switch for £25.2m.

Kulusevski quickly settled in North London, and even though Conte left Tottenham in explosive circumstances in 2023, the Scandinavian has continued to thrive under Ange Postecoglou's wing.

From 127 appearances in a Spurs shirt, Kulusevski has registered 23 goals and 27 assists, and he has enjoyed a particularly productive 2024-25 season with eight goals and eight assists from 31 games.

One of those efforts came in Sunday's 3-0 FA Cup win over Tamworth, as Spurs overcame the National League outfit in extra time after failing to break through during the initial 90 minutes at the Lamb Ground.

Kulusevski has thrived as both a right winger and central playmaker in the current campaign, and the report claims that Conte 'appreciates' the attacker thanks to his adaptability and technical skill.

Prising the Swede away from North London could be a tall order, though, as Kulusevski is contracted to Tottenham until 2028, and club chairman Daniel Levy will no doubt drive an extremely hard bargain.

Which other Premier League star could replace Kvaratskhelia?

© Imago

Should Napoli fail in their efforts to reunite Kulusevski with Conte, they have reportedly set their sights on a pair of alternative targets, including Liverpool's Federico Chiesa.

The Italian is yet to settle at Anfield since making the move from Juventus over the summer, but he scored his first goal for the club in Saturday's 4-0 FA Cup hammering of Accrington Stanley.

Liverpool are not expected to entertain permanent or loan offers for Chiesa during the January window, so Napoli may have to abandon their Premier League search in favour of Lille's Edon Zhegrova.

The Kosovo international has bagged eight goals in 21 appearances for Les Dogues this season, and his contract only runs until the end of next season.

National League hosts Premier League in an FA Cup mismatch on Sunday lunchtime, where Tamworth will endeavour to pull off a monumental giant killing at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

The fifth-tier Lambs have already eliminated Huddersfield Town and Burton Albion from this year's tournament, while Spurs defeated Liverpool 1-0 in their EFL Cup semi-final first leg in midweek, and here Sports Mole rounds up the team news for both sides.

TAMWORTH vs. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

TAMWORTH

Out: Ben Acquaye (ACL)

Doubtful: Callum Cockerill-Mollett (unspecified)

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Singh; Crompton, Libard, Hollis, Fairlamb; McGlinchey, Milnes, Tonks, Williams; Morrison; Creaney

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Out: Rodrigo Bentancur (head), Micky van de Ven (hamstring), Cristian Romero (thigh), Destiny Udogie (hamstring), Wilson Odobert (hamstring), Guglielmo Vicario (ankle), Ben Davies (hamstring) and Richarlison (hamstring)

Doubtful: Fraser Forster (illness)

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Kinsky; Gray, Dorrington, Dragusin, Reguilon; Maddison, Sarr, Bergvall; Werner, Lankshear, Moore

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here. body check tags ::

Tamworth's humble 4,000-seater home could be the scene of the next FA Cup giant killing on Sunday lunchtime, when Premier League titans Tottenham Hotspur rock up to the Lamb Ground for a blockbuster third-round tie.

The fifth-tier hosts are one of just two non-league teams still competing for cup stardom, while their revered visitors are approaching the 17-year mark without a major honour next to their name.

Match preview

© Imago

Out to avoid being on the wrong end of a knockout shock on Sunday, Tottenham have already come out on the correct end of one cup surprise this month, controversially edging out Liverpool in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final on Wednesday evening.

Mere moments after escaping a potential second yellow card for wiping out Kostas Tsimikas, Swedish sensation Lucas Bergvall produced the one moment of attacking quality needed to separate the two Wembley hopefuls, giving Ange Postecoglou's men a slender advantage to protect at Anfield next month.

The unforeseen beating of Arne Slot's troops represented an increasingly rare triumph for Tottenham, who only have four wins under their belt from their last 15 matches in all competitions and had gone without a victory in four straight matches before Bergvall's brilliance.

Early FA Cup exits have also been commonplace in North London since Spurs last made it to Wembley for the semi-finals in 2017-18; the visitors have failed to make it past the fifth round in any of their last six attempts, although they have not been eliminated in the third round since losing to North London rivals Arsenal in 2013-14.

Furthermore, the Lilywhites have prevailed in each of their last nine FA Cup contests versus non-league opponents since being stunned by then-Southern League side Norwich City 110 years ago, a run that includes a 5-0 humbling of Marine at this stage in 2021.

© Imago

Even if Tamworth end up suffering the same fate as their fellow non-league foes did four years ago, simply hosting a Premier League powerhouse at the Lamb Ground will represent a momentous occasion for Andy Peaks's men, who have already sent two of the 92 packing in this season's tournament.

After prevailing in a six-goal thriller with Macclesfield in the final preliminary stage, Tamworth defied the odds to eliminate Huddersfield Town in round one, before holding their nerve from 12 yards to get the better of Burton Albion and prolong their magical journey.

The National League side from Staffordshire are not total strangers to the FA Cup third round, having also made it this far in each of the 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2011-12 seasons, but they lost all three of those contests and are therefore yet to earn their maiden fourth-round appearance.

The Lambs do not come into Sunday's historic event with the wind in their sails either, having lost their last two games against Solihull Moors (2-0 in the National League) and Sutton United (1-0 in the FA Trophy); the former result left them languishing in 16th place in the National League table.

Peaks has now masterminded just one win from Tamworth's last six matches across all tournaments, but form is not the be all and end all for occasions such as Sunday's, where the Lambs will be pitting their wits against Premier League opposition in the FA Cup for just the second time after losing to David Moyes's Everton in 2012.

Tamworth FA Cup form:

Tamworth form (all competitions):

Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago

Spurs' success over Liverpool in midweek was partially overshadowed by the serious head injury to Rodrigo Bentancur, but Tottenham confirmed at half time that the Uruguayan was conscious and communicating as he was sent to hospital for further tests.

An official update on Bentancur's condition is yet to land, but he will certainly join Spurs' lengthy absentee list for Sunday's game, which Micky van de Ven (hamstring), Cristian Romero (thigh), Destiny Udogie (hamstring), Wilson Odobert (hamstring), Guglielmo Vicario (ankle), Ben Davies (hamstring) and Richarlison (hamstring) should also be unavailable for.

Fraser Forster is also uncertain owing to illness, but new signing Antonin Kinsky excelled on his debut in the triumph over Liverpool, and Postecoglou will also have James Maddison and Pape Sarr back from suspension at the Lamb Ground.

The Spurs boss may have no choice but to field some senior players this weekend, but expect the likes of Will Lankshear, Alfie Dorrington and Mikey Moore - assuming he is fully recovered from a troubling illness - to make the first XI.

As for the non-league hosts, 25-year-old attacker Ben Acquaye is on the long road to recovery from an ACL rupture, and left-back Callum Cockerill-Mollett was not involved in the loss to Sutton after picking up an injury in the Solihull Moors defeat.

On a brighter note, 6ft 3in centre-back Jordan Cullinane-Liburd made his return from a three-game ban in the FA Trophy defeat, and having started the successes over Huddersfield and Burton Albion, the 29-year-old ought to come back into the first XI for the visit of Spurs.

Tamworth possible starting lineup:

Singh; Crompton, Libard, Hollis, Fairlamb; McGlinchey, Milnes, Tonks, Williams; Morrison; Creaney

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Austin; Gray, Dorrington, Dragusin, Reguilon; Maddison, Sarr, Bergvall; Werner, Lankshear, Moore

We say: Tamworth 0-5 Tottenham Hotspur

An already injury-hit Tottenham side should put out a highly inexperienced attack and defence for Sunday's game, offering Tamworth a sliver of hope that they can pull off the upset of all upsets.

However, Postecoglou's lack of senior options means that he should still field a few players with plentiful experience, and it will surely only be a case of how many the Lilywhites win by.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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Liverpool must start Trent Alexander-Arnold on Wednesday against Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final clash, despite the right-back having performed poorly against Manchester United last Sunday, Red expert David Lynch has argued.

Arne Slot's side failed to capitalise on Arsenal's draw with Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday when they drew 2-2 with United, though they are still currently six points clear of the Gunners in the table.

Several Liverpool players underperformed against the Red Devils, though perhaps none more so than Alexander-Arnold, who some accused of not being committed to the club due to Real Madrid's interest in his signature.

Conor Bradley was substituted on in place of the right-back late in the match, but Lynch does not believe Alexander-Arnold's spot in the XI should be in question on Wednesday against Spurs, telling Sports Mole: "The problem Slot has got is that if he does go relatively full strength and Trent isn't in that team, it's not a great look, is it? It [becomes] a commentary on his performance.

"I don't think he can [start Bradley over Alexander-Arnold]. I think he'll look at the Accrington game as a chance to give Conor Bradley minutes as well [and] maybe that nudges him closer to becoming genuine competition at right-back, but with Trent - I think he's going to have to start because he does need to get it out of his system.

"We can't always be focused on the last game. We do that too much in football. Trent's a brilliant player and has been brilliant this season, so I'm sure if he does play - and I expect him to play - that he'll be back to his best, or at least close to it."

A good performance from Alexander-Arnold on Wednesday could help alleviate a lot of the scrutiny he has faced following his side's draw with Manchester United and rubbish claims that he is not committed to the club.

Should Liverpool be confident of beating Tottenham Hotspur?

Liverpool have already faced Spurs away from home this season, beating them 6-3 on December 22 in the league, and there is an argument that the scoreline flattered Ange Postecoglou's side.

Mohamed Salah managed to score twice and pick up two assists without even being at his best, while Dominik Szoboszlai was undoubtedly Slot's best midfield performer.

Lynch was keen to emphasise to Sports Mole just how good an opportunity Liverpool have to reach the final, saying: "[They've] got every chance. I don't think Tottenham's defence is going to be looking any better in terms of personnel. They've got real fitness issues there. I feel a bit for Ange, actually, because I don't think that's been talked about enough as one of the reasons they are so bad at the moment.

"Even if it doesn't end up in a 6-3 hammering, [Liverpool] should still be extremely confident of winning this. Spurs still have all the same issues, you know exactly how they're going to approach it. I think Liverpool should be able to get at them.

"If you can build up a decent first leg lead, it gives you a chance to make, not full rotation for the second leg, but a few changes for that one and mix it up a little bit, particularly with the Anfield factor. It's one that Liverpool should be looking forward to, and especially to get the United game out of the system, so they should have every confidence to get the result there."

Tottenham lost 2-1 against Newcastle United on January 4 in the Premier League, but they were forced to field third-choice goalkeeper Brandon Austin between the posts, and lined up in the second half with midfielder Archie Gray and right-back Djed Spence in central defence.

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Should Liverpool take the EFL Cup seriously?

With Liverpool ahead in the title race, there is a line of thinking that they should prioritise the Premier League and field considerably weaker teams in the two legs against Tottenham.

However, Liverpool's next game in the league is against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday, and the Reds' match against League Two side Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup on Saturday seems like a better opportunity for rest and rotation.

Lynch expressed his belief to Sports Mole that Slot can afford to field a full-strength XI due to the kind fixture scheduling, saying: "I saw the League Cup as a competition where Liverpool should continue to rotate to make sure that they don't drive the players into the ground, but actually, the way this has fallen now with the FA Cup game at the weekend, I actually think Liverpool should go full strength to keep the rhythm up.

"Those players [that play against Tottenham can] come back in for the Nottingham Forest game the following week, [and] I think that's the way they should go about it - heavily rotate for the FA Cup."

Should Liverpool advance to the final, they will face either Arsenal or Newcastle United, though it looks as if they would face the Toon given their 2-0 win against the Gunners in the first leg on Tuesday night at the Emirates.

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