Wednesday 18th January Kickoff: 1945hrs
Leicester City v Tottenham
Football – England – FA Cup
Harry Kane’s controversial late penalty was the only thing that stood between Leicester and the fourth round of the FA Cup following the first meeting of these two at White Hart Lane ten days ago. Having met each other in the league in between, both managers will be glad to see the back of the other when tomorrow’s match concludes.
It has been a remarkable season for Claudio Ranieri and his men, and I’ve written at length about how well they have done (and how much of a surprise it has been to me, who tipped them for relegation at the beginning of the season) I have also alluded to the concerns that many have on whether or not they will be able to keep up the same level of performance for the second half of the season. Results thus far suggest that although they will are likely to remain competitive, putting together the same number of wins on the board as they were able to do before Christmas may prove to be more difficult. Just one win in their last six games indicates that they might not have the staying power of some of the other teams around them. Ironically, though, that solitary success came against this opponent when they two met on league duty last midweek.
A resounding 4-1 home win over Sunderland at home on Saturday was the perfect response to what was a disappointing loss against Leicester, and the three points gets them back on the heels of the leaders, and holding off the chasing pack looking to get into the top four. It was their first win in four, in all competitions, and one that Mauricio Pochettino will be hoping to build on as they work towards what is going to be a crucial part of the season. Qualification for next season’s Champions League would appear to be their first priority and if they are to do that via the league route then the next four games will be important as they face a couple of London derbies as well as a trip to the Etihad to play the team who sit directly above them at the moment. Winning the Europa League would also see them compete in European football’s premier club competition, next term, and that resumes next month. Silverware is still very important, though, and a win here would see them take on Colchester in a very winnable tie.
Ranieri will likely use his squad again as he looks to guide his Leicester team to their first home win of 2016, and in over a month. The fact that they have not lost this calendar year is testament to the mentality and desire that the Italian has instilled since arriving at the club in the summer, and even when they are not playing at their best, they’re still capable of getting results. Leicester’s two best performances in recent times have both come again Spurs and they will be hoping for the same again as they bid to progress to the next round. I am still unconvinced that they will be able to maintain a challenge for the title, and even the top four, so a prolonged run could well be their best opportunity to gain success from what has already been a memorable campaign.
One of the most impressive aspects of Tottenham’s season has been their away form and they come into this game having won four and drawn three of their last seven games on the road. Pochettino’s men have lost only twice on their travels thus far in 2015/16 – on the opening day of the season at Old Trafford and against Anderlecht in the Europa League. Clearly the style of their play suits playing away but it will be interesting to see how they cope against a Leicester team who enjoy sitting in even when playing at home. It shouldn’t be too much of an inconvenience, however, as Spurs have seen off Bournemouth, Watford and Southampton of late, who themselves play a similar way to Leicester when at home.
Leicester City v Tottenham Betting Tips
Both managers will be well clued in on what to expect from the opposition as this will be the fourth meeting of these two teams, and the third in the space of ten teams. As I alluded to in my preview for the initial tie, there’s always uncertainty about how Premier League teams approach games in this competition, particularly in the earlier rounds, but there was no questioning how much Leicester and Tottenham wanted to progress when they faced off at White Hart Lane.
I thought Leicester visibly tired in the second half against Aston Villa on Saturday and it could be that their exertions are beginning to catch up with them. Despite that, they still showed clear signs of quality and should have taken a two-goal lead into half-time. Tottenham will have to be at their best if they are to take the victory here, but the win over Sunderland should give them renewed confidence going into this one, after a couple of less-than-inspiring performances. There’s also a school of thought that Leicester had their chance to win this tie a week past Sunday, and even accounting for what appeared to be a dubious penalty, I think Spurs will have the edge in this one, and take advantage of that late equaliser.
Tottenham 31/20 @ Bet365
