FA Cup: Burnley Won’t Stop Spurs’ Silverware Hunt

Tottenham Hotspur vs Burnley

FA Cup action comes to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday when two former winners come face-to-face for a place in the fourth round.

Vincent Kompany brings his struggling Burnley side to meet Ange Potsecoglou’s trophy chasers in an all-Premier League third-round clash, and it’s one I expect the hosts to come through. Our FA Cup 2024 betting odds place Tottenham as the seventh favourites to win the trophy at a price of 15.00, and they have a genuine chance of picking up silverware for the first time in 16 years.

Burnley won the Championship trophy last season and in some style, but they will struggle to live with Spurs, who are up in fifth place and just a pint outside the Champions League places.

Talking Points

Kulusevski in and Son out

Postecoglou has been contending with a lengthy injury list in recent weeks, and he’ll have to make more changes for the visit of Burnley. There is good news for Spurs supporters in that flying winger Dejan Kulusevski is available to play, having served a one-match suspension, and he will slot straight back into the side.

Tottenham fans were waiting to find out whether captain Heung-Min Son would still be in the UK and able to play his part in this FA Cup match. Son is due to join South Korea for the Asian Cup, which starts on January 12th, and it has just been confirmed that he will be unavailable to face the Clarets. With 12 goals for the campaign Son is in joint third in the race for the Golden Boot and he’ll be a big miss.   

Spurs met in-form Bournemouth last Saturday and any fears of another setback were quickly allayed as Pape Sarr, Son and Richarlison all scored in a 3-1 win. But the victory came at some cost, as Sarr was replaced after 20 minutes, and he was clearly worried that he may not be able to join Senegal for their African Cup of Nations defence.

And there was more chaos as Spurs finished with ten men when Alejo Veliz was unable to continue when he picked up a knock after 80 minutes.

But, as with the return of Kulusevski, there is balancing good news in that long-term absentee Rodrigo Bentancur got some minutes against the Cherries, and he could start against Burnley.

Can the Clarets channel their Anger?

It’s been a tough baptism for Kompany’s young Clarets in the English top flight, and it seems they may be due to spend another year in the Championship to help them come of age. But they obviously have some ability; they are learning and are starting to adapt to the best league in the world.

A draw away to Brighton and recent wins over Sheffield United and Fulham has given the Clarets hope, but last Saturday Burnley had another brutal lesson. Away to high flying Aston Villa, at 1-1 they had a goal ruled out for offside by inches, when the video evidence made it clear that goal-scorer Lyle Foster’s back foot was in his own half.

Sander Berge was booked for questioning the referee and soon after was sent off for a shirt tug. But when Foster scored, Burnley entered injury time at 2-2, only for the ref to point to the spot when Jhon Duran felt a touch from Aaron Ramsay and collapsed to the floor before spinning a couple of times. This time, VAR stayed out of it for reasons known only to the PGMOL.

It’s a cruel league, but Kompany is a born winner and a tough competitor with a cool head. He will tell his young guns to channel their anger carefully, learn from their experiences, and cut out the naïve mistakes. And in Foster, who recently returned from a period under specialist care, they have a striker who will make huge promises.

History

Tottenham have won 15 lost five and drawn four of their last 24 encounters with the Clarets while Burnley have failed to win on their last ten visits to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium or White Hart Lane; and Spurs whacked the young Clarets 5-2 at Turf Moor, earlier in the season, as the brilliant Son scored a hat-trick after Foster had given Burnley an early lead.  

In terms of recent form Spurs have won four and drawn two of the last six while Burnley have won one, drawn one and lost four.

Betting Tip

Spurs are highly fancied to win this tie at SBOTOP odds of 1.42 to win, with the draw at 4.07 and Burnley at 4.65 to spring a surprise. I must say I think the Spurs vs Burnley FA Cup 2024 highlights will be well worth watching, and despite the absence of Son, I believe the hosts will come through in a high-scoring match.

 

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