Tottenham Hotspur will make the trip to Bramall Lane when they meet Sheffield United, hoping to avoid an FA Cup upset on Wednesday night.
The Blades are currently soaring high in the Championship and are cruising their way towards a Premier League return in 2023. After losing back-to-back second-tier games, Sheffield United got back to winning ways with a 1-0 win over Watford, which helped to build a seven-point buffer over third-placed Middlesbrough.
Paul Heckingbottom’s side made light work of Championship rivals Millwall in the opening FA Cup round, but the Blades stuttered in the tie of the fourth round as they needed a replay to overcome fifth-division side Wrexham. They can only salvage a 3-3 draw at Wrexham before breaking the hearts of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney with two late strikes in the Bramall Lane replay.
As for the much-esteemed visitors, while Tottenham may have opened their Champions League knockout rounds with a 1-0 away defeat at AC Milan in mid-February, Antonio Conte’s side appeared to have turned a corner lately.
They have found a welcome domestic boost, claiming back-to-back 2-0 victories over cross-London rivals Chelsea and West Ham, both impressive, rugged displays on home turf. Conte has been calling on his side to find some stability, however, it is under assistant boss Cristian Stellini who seems to be getting the tune out of players while the former is recovering from a serious gall bladder surgery.
Regardless, Spurs are desperate to finally get the monkey off their back and put an end to their trophy drought. The Lilywhites know that they have a great chance to win the competition, with a number of big teams already eliminated, and will be looking to avoid a major FA Cup upset in midweek.
Team News & Tactics
Sheffield United
GB2. 🇬🇷⭐️ pic.twitter.com/BpjZsQFa10
— Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) February 28, 2023
Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom is juggling several injury problems. Rhian Brewster (hamstring), Rhys Norrinton-Davis (hamstring), Jack O’Connell (knee), and Enda Stephens (muscle) are all sidelined and will miss the game. On the positive side, George Baldock (hamstring) and Billy Sharp (muscle) could be in line to return to the matchday squad after taking a light part in the training.
Having secured a vital 1-0 win against Watford a few days ago, Heckingbottom could be tempted to name a similar starting XI here, given he has little room for rotation due to the injury crisis all across the pitch. Wes Foderingham has been the Blades’ first-choice goalkeeper this season, with Adam Davies serving as the cup keeper. However, the former will be pushing to start in goal for this big game.
As such, Chris Basham may feature in central defence, alongside John Egan and Jack Robinson, as Sheffield United looks to shut Tottenham out. Jayden Bogle is a shoo-in on the right flank, while Max Lowe will look to provide width in attack on the opposite wing.
In midfield, Sander Berge will once again be given the license to attack the opposition and switch between the central enforcer and creative midfielder roles, thanks to assurance from Oliver Norwood and John Fleck behind him in the engine room.
And finally, in the attacking department, Heckingbottom will have no options but to persist with the offensive combination of Oli McBurnie and Iliman Ndiaye, who have been involved in 18 goals from 36 Championship and FA Cup appearances this season.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Davies; Basham, Egan, Robinson; Bogle, Berge, Norwood, Fleck, Lowe; Ndiaye, McBurnie
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur will remain without the services of long-term absentees, including the likes of Hugo Lloris (knee), Ryan Sessegnon (thigh), Rodrigo Bentancur (ACL), and Yves Bissouma (ankle).
The thrashing of Chelsea preserved Cristian Stellini’s perfect record in charge of Tottenham. With Conte on his way back, this FA Cup tie could well be Stellini’s final assignment as a stand-in manager before taking the back seat on the Spurs bench.
Tottenham have been unchanged in their last two games, but Stellini could be tempted to make a raft of changes here. Japhet Tanganga and Davinson Sanchez should slot into the back three alongside Clement Lenglet, with Fraser Forster continuing in between the sticks for the visitors in Lloris’ absence.
“No fresh injuries. The squad is the same”
Cristian Stellini gives a team news update ahead of tomorrow's @EmiratesFACup clash with Sheffield United 🗣 pic.twitter.com/XvIDfDRExX
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) February 28, 2023
Ivan Perisic should come in at left wing-back, while Emerson Royal could retain his position on the other flank, as Stellini and Conte would be careful not to make too many changes. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Oliver Skipp will once again serve their respective roles in the double midfield pivot.
South Korean ace Son Heung-min could make a full return to the starting lineup at Bramall Lane after scoring in consecutive Premier League appearances off the bench, while Arnaut Danjuma is also expected to be given a chance to impress in the starting XI, with Harry Kane continuing to spearhead the Spurs frontline.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Forster; Tanganga, Sanchez, Lenglet; Emerson Royal, Skipp, Hojbjerg, Perisic; Danjuma, Kane, Son
Key Stats
- Bramall Lane has been Sheffield United’s fortress of late, with the Blades amassing seven victories in their last eight home appearances in all competitions (L1).
- Spurs have won their last two matches against Sheffield United, both in the Premier League in the 2020-21 campaign.
- Tottenham Hotspur are aiming to make it into the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2017-18, having been ousted in the fifth round in each of the past three seasons.
- Since his FA Cup bow in January 2016, Son Heung-Min has made 25 goal contributions in 27 appearances in the competition for the Lilywhites (14 goals, 11 assists), seven more than any other player during that time (first round onwards).
- Tottenham have recorded a clean sheet in five of their last six domestic encounters across all competitions.
Player to Watch
Emerson Royal
It’s high time we give Emerson his flowers for his recent resurgence. The former Real Betis defender has come in for some heavy criticism when playing for Antonio Conte’s side earlier this season but has enjoyed a recent upturn in form. It seems like Pedro Porro’s arrival during the January transfer window seems to have sprung life into the 24-year-old, as he looks like a transformed player.
Emerson has scored two goals and helped his club earn a much-needed four clean sheets in their bid to reclaim Champions League football, producing excellent displays in recent victories over Manchester City and West Ham United.
Prediction
Sheffield United 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham are full of confidence after defeating Chelsea and Manchester City in February, and they hope to carry that momentum to a deep run in the FA Cup. With Conte likely to rotate his starting lineup after a physically demanding clash against Chelsea, high-flying Championship runners-up Sheffield United cannot be ignored. Although Spurs may face a difficult test away from home, the Hard Tackle predicts a narrow 2-1 away victory.
