Newport County AFC vs Tottenham Hotspur. The FA Cup Fourth Round.
Rodney ParadeAttendance9,836.
Saturday 27 January 2018 17:38, UK
Tottenham could be forced to make a number of changes when they travel to Newport County in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday (kick-off 5.30pm).
Toby Alderweireld and Danny Rose are both doubts along with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, Christian Eriksen and Serge Aurier.
"We will take the best players to try to win," said manager Mauricio Pochettino. "Only thinking about trying to go to the next stage. It will be difficult because the FA Cup is always difficult to play in.
"It's not about the level or if you play against a Championship, League One or League Two team. It's one game, it's Newport and a difficult pitch to play on.
"We need to be ready and be aware that we need to compete and be at the same level as them, with our motivation and aggression, and adapt our game in a difficult stadium and pitch."
Spurs have won five of their last seven games in all competitions, including a 3-0 victory over AFC Wimbledon in the last round of the FA Cup. After this weekend they face Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Juventus over the next month.
Newport beat Leeds in the third round and are eighth in League Two, having won three of their last four league matches.
Newport captain Joss Labadie and Matty Dolan could both return and Ben White is also expected to be available.
However, Tom Owen-Evans (dead leg), Sean Rigg (hip) and Marlon Jackson are out.
Alderweireld (hamstring), Rose (knee), Lloris (illness), Eriksen (illness), Harry Winks (ankle), Erik Lamela (bruised gluteus muscle) and Aurier (calf) are doubts for Spurs.
Newport will be facing Tottenham for the first time since consecutive FA Cup meetings in 1959 and 1960, with Spurs winning both games, scoring four in each.
Newport County are hosting a top-flight side at home for the first time since October 1986, when facing Everton in a League Cup second leg match at Rodney Parade, losing 5-1.
The Exiles haven't won a FA Cup match against a top-flight opponent since January 1964, beating Sheffield Wednesday 3-2 in a third-round match at home.
Tottenham have progressed in each of their last 15 FA Cup ties as a top-flight side against teams from the fourth tier or lower, last being knocked out of the FA Cup in January 1915 to non-league Norwich City.
It was a bit of a stumble at Southampton last weekend for Spurs and if they thought that pitch was in bad condition then they are in for a brutal experience here.
I expect Fernando Llorente to start with Harry Kane rested ahead of the massive game with Manchester United on Wednesday, but they should have more than enough here.
You need to take the FA Cup seriously from the start and even if they make four or five changes that is not that significant given the opposition. The embarrassment can wreck your season and Mauricio Pochettino will make his team fully aware of that.
Charlie predicts: 0-4 and Llorente to score first (20/1 with Sky Bet)
