When examining Tottenham’s performance this season, one cannot help but wonder where they might stand in the Premier League table had they not been plagued by injuries. Despite an impressive start under new manager Ange Postecoglou, Spurs experienced a dip in form. However, they have rebounded, clinching victories in four of their last five top-flight fixtures. As a result, they currently linger just outside the top four, trailing league leaders Liverpool by a mere six points.
This weekend, Tottenham momentarily shifts focus from Premier League duties as they prepare to host Burnley in the FA Cup third round on Friday night. Postecoglou seems quietly optimistic about his team’s prospects in this competition, aspiring to surpass last season’s performance where Spurs were eliminated by then-Championship side Sheffield United in the fifth round.
On the other hand, Burnley advanced to the quarter-finals last season before enduring a resounding 6-0 defeat by eventual champions Manchester City at the Etihad, with Erling Haaland netting a hat-trick in that match.
As both teams gear up to clash in north London on Friday night, the question arises—how will each side line up? Examining their respective team updates and anticipated starting line-ups below sheds light on their potential approaches:
Tottenham faces the prospect of potentially missing 11 players when they confront Burnley in the FA Cup. Notable figures such as James Maddison and Cristian Romero remain sidelined, while several international talents like Senegalese midfielder Pape Matar Sarr, Malian counterpart Yves Bissouma, and South Korean star Son Heung-min could be absent for up to a month due to their participation in the African Cup of Nations and Asian Cup.
However, there is a glimmer of positive news regarding summer signing Micky van de Ven. Despite his absence since sustaining a hamstring injury against Chelsea in November, Postecoglou indicated in a press conference on Thursday that there’s hope for his return, stating, “Micky van de Ven has trained with us, he’s been involved for three sessions. Not sure about tomorrow and whether he’ll be involved or not.”
Anticipated Tottenham Starting XI:
Guglielmo Vicario; Pedro Porro, Emerson Royal, Ben Davies, Destiny Udogie; Oliver Skipp, Rodrigo Bentancur; Brennan Johnson, Giovani Lo Celso, Dejan Kulusevski; Richarlison.