Carling Cup Preview: Tottenham Hotspur - Burnley

Harry’s Final Thought

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has a conundrum of sorts on his hands; Spurs are struggling in the Premier League but continue to progress in all three cup competitions they have entered this year. While the Lilywhites have a fantastic cup pedigree, survival in the Premier League is of the utmost importance to a side who are only sitting outside the relegation zone on goal difference.

Having reached this stage however, the current Carling Cup holders would be foolish not to field a strong side and attempt to advance to the final. Should they manage to reverse Burnley’s penchant for beating Premier League teams this season, they could meet Manchester United in the final, and even if they were then to lose, the Red Devils are sure to occupy a top-four place, meaning Spurs would be given their UEFA Cup spot; a much-desired tournament for a team flirting with the drop.

Multiple Giant Killers

Burnley have had a less than favourable draw on their way to facing Spurs, including ties against far more fancied opposition. Owen Coyle’s men first beat Bury and Oldham in the earliest stages with relative ease, as would have perhaps been expected, but as soon as the ‘big boys’ entered the cup, the Turf Moor faithful were anticipating an exit.

First, a late Jay Rodriguez goal gave the Clarets a surprise victory over Roy Hodgson’s Fulham, before a surprise penalty shoot-out win against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge secured a quarter-final encounter with the promising youngsters of Arsenal. Burnley proved a step too far for Arsene Wenger’s fledglings as goalkeeper Brian ‘The Beast’ Jensen foiled them time and time again.

Having felled a host of Premier League opposition on the way to this stage of the competition, Burnley will have nothing to fear when they arrive at White Hart Lane. They have a decent chance of emulating Cardiff City, another side from outside the top-flight, in reaching a major cup final. However, Coyle’s charges are on a poor run of four games without a win, but the difference in leagues counts for nothing here; such is the wonder of domestic cups.

FORM GUIDE

Tottenham

Tottenham 3 – 1 Wigan (FA Cup)

West Brom 2 – 0 Tottenham (Prem)

Tottenham 0 – 0 Fulham (Prem)

Newcastle 2 – 1 Tottenham (Prem)

Tottenham 2 – 2 Spartak Moscow (UEFA Cup)

Burnley

QPR 0 – 0 Burnley (FA Cup)

Doncaster 2 – 1 Burnley (Championship)

Burnley 1 – 2 Barnsley (Championship)

Bristol City 1 – 2 Burnley (Championship)

Burnley 3 – 2 Southampton (Championship)

TEAM NEWS

Tottenham

Darren Bent limped out of the FA Cup tie with Wigan with a groin injury and so Roman Pavlyuchenko will be called on to continue his goal streak in cup competitions. Given the success of the partnership between Pavlyuchenko and Fraizer Campbell in the same game, Redknapp may decide to adopt a 4-4-2 formation. Other players who will miss out for Spurs are Tom Huddlestone, who has an ankle problem, and Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Jermaine Jenas, who are both suspended. Ledley King may return, having been rested since the goalless draw with Fulham.

Possible Starting XI: Gomes; Corluka, King, Woodgate, Bale; Lennon, Zokora, Modric, Bentley; Pavlyuchenko, Campbell.

Burnley

Kevin McDonald, the two goal hero in the previous round against Arsenal, is a doubt with a groin complaint, and he is joined on the treatment table by Chris McCann and Remco van der Schaaf. Steven Caldwell, the defender, is suspended, but Steven Jordan returns after  serving a ban

Possible Starting XI: Jensen; Alexander, Duff, Carlisle, Jordan; Eagles, Gudjonsson, Elliott, Blake; Paterson, Thompson.

Tottenham

He’s had his doubters since his arrival from Spartak Moscow, but Roman Pavlyuchenko simply has the Midas touch in cup competitions. He has scored in every round of the Carling Cup so far and picked up a two-goal haul against Wigan in the FA Cup in Spurs’ last outing; and if he manages to add to his tally in the first leg here, Redknapp’s side could well have one foot in the final.

Burnley

Had Kevin McDonald been available for this game, all eyes would surely have been on him, given his brace against Arsenal in the last round. Attention then will shift to Chris Eagles, one of Burnley’s more high-profile players. A former season ticket holder at Spurs, Eagles will be keen to impress on what he has described as an “emotional” night and set up a possible cup final against former club Manchester United.

PREDICTION

Tottenham have the home advantage in the first leg and are likely to field a much stronger side than their North London rivals did against Burnley. With players missing through injury and suspension, Coyle’s team are likely to struggle, though if they can keep within a goal of Spurs, they have every chance of turning them over at Turf Moor.

Tottenham Hotspur 1 – 0 Burnley

Jamie Dunn, Goal.com