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Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to avoid another shock FA Cup fifth-round exit as they head to Championship outfit Sheffield United this evening.

Exactly 12 months ago, Antonio Conte’s side were knocked out at this very stage by fellow second-tier side Middlesbrough, with Josh Coburn netting in extra time and the Lilywhites will be hoping to go one better this time, though in the absence of the Italian head coach.

Spurs assistant manager Cristian Stellini is set to take the dugout once again, having steered the Lilywhites squad to back-to-back Premier League victories, defeating Chelsea and West Ham United, both by a 2-0 margin.

He’ll be left with a tough decision to make in terms of team selection as there will be a temptation to rotate, given the fixture list that lies ahead, in which a second leg against AC Milan in the Champions League will soon be on the horizon.

With that in mind, here’s how Tottenham could look at Bramall Lane tonight…

How will Tottenham line up against Sheffield United?

There could be as many as five changes to the side that defeated the out-of-sorts Blues on Sunday, starting with backup goalkeeper Fraser Forster continuing between the sticks in the absence of injured veteran, Hugo Lloris.

In defence, Davinson Sanchez could afford Cristian Romero some rest, so the Colombian enters the back three alongside Eric Dier and Clement Lenglet, who is preferred as one of the only left-footed central defenders at the club.

There could be a pair of alterations on the flanks, with Ivan Perisic and Pedro Porro offering fresh legs over Emerson Royal and Ben Davies, whilst the latter duo have been in fine knick, it’s a great chance to see more of the January signing and the Croatian should be a cut above the opposition too.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg may remain in the engine room, given he was suspended for the first leg against Milan, so Oliver Skipp is dropped instead. In his place, Pape Matar Sarr – who excelled against the Rossoneri – makes another start outside of the Premier League.

Stellini has hinted that Harry Kane will feature from the off despite the upcoming schedule and he could start alongside Richarlison, who also keeps his place and another winter arrival in the form of Arnaut Danjuma, 26.

The £53k-per-week Villarreal loanee, who was once dubbed as a “game-changer” by his former boss Eddie Howe, has been restricted to only three appearances, of which none have been starts and he did score a goal in the last round against Preston North End too.

Predicted Spurs XI (3-4-3): Forster; Lenglet, Dier, Sanchez; Perisic, Hojbjerg, Sarr, Porro; Richarlison, Danjuma, Kane

Joe Nicholson believes Sunderland’s January signing Pierre Ekwah is not far away from being handed his first start.

The Lowdown: Sunderland’s young stars are impressing

Sunderland are currently enjoying a stunning first season back in the Championship sitting just one point off the play-offs while boasting the youngest squad on average in the division.

It’s not just the fact that they have a whole load of inexperienced players, but also the act that Tony Mowbray has had to play the majority of this season without star striker Ross Stewart who’s picked up two rather serious injuries.

The club have had a clear strategy in the transfer market of buying young players that may feel they’ve got a point to prove in the form of Patrick Roberts, Jack Clarke, loanee Joe Gelhardt and Ekwah.

The Latest: Ekwah still looking to make an impact

Having been brought in from West Ham last month, Ekwah will have hoped for more opportunities at the Stadium of Light but Nicholson has claimed on The Roar podcast that starts may just be around the corner for the youngster.

He said: “I don’t think Ekwah is too far away, he came on at QPR and did quite well. He’s got that kind of physicality about him and maybe a bit of a surprise he didn’t come on [against Rotherham]; we saw Pritchard drop a bit further back in midfield when Mowbray made the substitutions.

“I definitely think we’ll see him start a game or a couple of games before the end of the season.”

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The Verdict: Mowbray must manage his squad carefully

As showcased on Tuesday night, Mowbray does indeed have to manage his squad as they’re still very young and could easily burnout if not afforded sufficient rest and while that could come to the detriment of the club – as it did against Rotherham when Roberts was dropped – it will benefit them in the long-term.

Therefore, Mowbray allowing Ekwah time to settle into his new surroundings having moved up from London at a young age before thrusting him into the bright lights of Wearside is good management.

Ekwah will be hopeful of making an impact this season at Sunderland and showing both why the club signed him on a permanent basis and how his ‘all-action’ nature can only benefit the Black cats in their push for the play-offs.

Tottenham employees have been left ‘enchanted’ by Lecce midfielder Morten Hjulmand as Spurs are named as one of the sides ‘interested’ in his signing.

The Lowdown: Spurs make summer plans…

Spurs have reportedly been planning for the summer transfer window in recent weeks as recent claims suggest both a central defender and winger will be high on the agenda.

The Lilywhites are currently chasing a top four Premier League finish but must also look beyond the 2022/2023 campaign.

Antonio Conte’s side have also been linked to signing a central midfielder with reports from Italy now suggesting they’re blown away by a new name.

The Latest: Tottenham staff ‘enchanted’ by Hjulmand…

According to Calciomercato, Spurs staff in the form of their scouting department have been left ‘enchanted’ by Denmark international Hjulmand.

The north Londoners, alongside Roma, Napoli and Borussia Dortmund, have been named as one of the sides ‘interested’ in the 23-year-old.

Going by this report, it appears the club, and by extension sporting director Fabio Paratici, are eyeing a new target.

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The Verdict: Lecce’s colossus…

Hjulmand has stood out as one of Lecce’s colossal stars over this Serie A season.

As per WhoScored, the box-to-box ace is one of their most-selected players domestically with only three Lecce players featuring over more top flight minutes.

Hjulmand also sits second in terms of highest match rating per 90 in their squad whilst also accumulating more tackles and interceptions per game than any Lecce player (WhoScored).

The 6 foot 1 colossus can also contribute effectively going forward, having registered four assists and Lecce’s third-highest rate of key passes (WhoScored).

Winning more Man of the Match awards than any of his teammates this campaign, Hjulmand stands out as a big fish in a small pond, leaving little surprise Spurs are taking notice.

Nick Pope’s red card for Newcastle United this weekend has been slammed by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp as he feels it is too harsh a punishment.

The Lowdown: Nick Pope puts Newcastle down to 10

Newcastle were already 2-0 down when Pope decided to meet a long ball towards his penalty area, but his misjudgement saw him handle the ball, leaving referee Paul Tierney no choice but to send the England man off.

Threatening to put the game out of sight at an emotionally charged St James’ Park, Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson sent a long punt downfield towards Mohamed Salah, and while Pope beat the Egyptian to the ball, he illegally denied the Reds winger a goalscoring opportunity in the process.

It means that Pope will now miss the Carabao Cup final against Manchester United next weekend, but there was sympathy for the former Burnley star in the Sky Sports studio.

The Latest: Jamie Redknapp fumes over Pope’s red

Speaking on Sky’s live coverage of the game (18/02/2022; 18.20), Redknapp acknowledged that the referee had no choice but to give Pope his marching orders, though could not hide his disdain for the laws of the game.

He said: “That’s the rule. Do you know what, not because the guy’s going to miss a cup final, I think it’s always been a terrible rule.

“I don’t like it, he’s not meant to do it. The lad is now going to miss a cup final, and you’ve got a player trying to get back on the goalline…

“I think that’s a rule that has to change, unless it’s right outside the box and he does it completely on purpose. I really feel sorry for Newcastle and Nick Pope, there.”

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The Verdict: Big task for Eddie Howe

Going without your goalkeeper is one thing, but missing the player with the most clean sheets in the Premier League this season ahead of the club’s biggest match for over two decades is hugely unfortunate timing for all concerned.

Of course, there is no debate to be had over Tierney’s decision to send Pope for an early bath, as Pope clearly made a mess of his attempted clearance and stopped Salah racing through for a third Liverpool goal.

While the severity of Pope’s transgression perhaps doesn’t warrant such a harsh punishment, he will have known the risks having been so far out of his box, and would have been wiser to either play it safer or hand Salah the chance to extend the visitors’ lead – though that is far easier to say in hindsight and from afar.

So although we agree the punishment may not fit the crime, we are not as sympathetic towards Pope as Redknapp is – particularly with the cup final in mind, as it arguably makes the Magpies’ task next Sunday a taller order than it already was.

Howe is ironically unable to field the cup-tied Martin Dubravka against his former loan side, so No 3 ‘keeper Loris Karius potentially leaves the Toon significantly weaker between the sticks – especially if the German’s big-game previous is anything to go by.

According to a Spanish source, Liverpool have made a big-money move to sign Borussia Dortmund ace Jude Bellingham for next summer.

The Lowdown: Reds register Bellingham interest

The 18-year-old first made the huge switch to the German giants when he left Birmingham City back in 2020, but even though he still has three years remaining on his current contract at the Signal Iduna Park, his impressive performances have caught the eye.

It was reported earlier this month that the Reds had shown interest in the midfielder, but given the fact that the Bundesliga outfit had already lost Erling Haaland to fellow Premier League rivals Manchester City, they weren’t willing to let any more of their star players leave.

The Latest: Liverpool make big-money offer

In a new article published by Spanish outlet SER Deportivos, it’s claimed that whilst Real Madrid are in the race for Bellingham’s signature, the La Liga giants face a ‘big problem’ in Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, who are said to have ‘already’ offered €100m (£86.1m) to Dortmund.

The source further states that Carlo Ancelotti’s side face the issue that they are only allowed to have a particular number of non-EU players in their squad due to La Liga rules, meaning that they can’t move until Vinicius Junior becomes a citizen next year.

The two teams could apparently engage in a ‘duel between the greats’ to secure Bellingham’s signature, albeit for an arrival next summer.

The Verdict: Succession plan for Henderson?

If Bellingham were to sign a Naby-Keita-esque deal to join the club 12 months from now, he could provide the perfect option to play alongside and eventually succeed captain Jordan Henderson.

The two of them will already be so used to playing together in Gareth Southgate’s England squad, and the £72m-rated gem has proven to be a brilliant creative outlet for Dortmund, having registered 14 assists along with his six goals last term, as per Transfermarkt.

With the Reds captain not getting any younger, the central midfield area will be a transfer priority for Klopp in the coming years, and Bellingham is a highly-talented player who still has plenty of his prime years ahead of him.

In other news… a Premier League club have reportedly made an approach for one of Liverpool’s defenders.

The summer transfer window officially opens on Friday and Newcastle will be hard at work as they look to improve Eddie Howe’s squad for the 2022/23 campaign.

Dan Ashworth and PIF have already secured one deal as Matt Targett has agreed to join the club on a permanent basis after his loan spell in the season just gone.

Another player they must now target a move for is West Ham attacking midfielder Said Benrahma, who is reportedly available this summer.

Journalist Harry Roy has claimed that the club wanted the Algeria international and are keen on a deal for a player in his position.

He Tweeted: “Just read that West Ham are open to selling Saïd Benrahma this summer. NUFC were interested in him during his Brentford days, and are in the market for a winger. £12m-£15m is the rumoured price.”

New Hatem Ben Arfa

By reigniting interest in Benrahma and bringing him to St. James’ Park, PIF can find the club’s new Ben Arfa next season.

The Hammers gem is a silky playmaker with the ability to breeze past players with his trickery, much like the former Newcastle forward.

Brentford B’s assistant coach, Sam Saunders, once claimed that Benrahma “could nutmeg a mermaid” and this beautifully illustrates how much talent he has with the ball at his feet.

Interestingly, this exact phrase was previously used – by SPORTBible – to describe Ben Arfa as they posted a compilation of his best goals on Tyneside.

Whilst impressing with flash skills, the now-Lille winger also made a big impact in the final third. In the 2011/12 campaign, he produced five goals and six assists in the Premier League as he showed that he had end product as well as immense dribbling.

Benrahma, similarly, is also able to make telling contributions at the top end of the pitch. In 2021/22, he managed to score eight goals and provide six assists for West Ham in the top-flight, showing that he can be a match-winner as well as a crowd-pleaser.

Therefore, the 26-year-old magician can be the new Ben Arfa to entertain the supporters at St. James’ Park and PIF must swoop in to snap him up from the London Stadium this summer.

Howe would surely love to work with a proven Premier League attacker heading into the peak years of his career and fans would enjoy watching him nutmeg mermaids…

AND in other news, Ashworth now plotting NUFC bid for £20m gem with “no nerves”, he’s a huge Burn upgrade…

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s pursuit of Yannick Carrasco heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to Spanish outlet AS, the Magpies are ready to pay the 28-year-old’s release clause of €60m (£51m) to bring him to St James’ Park in the coming months.

The report claims that Atletico Madrid will refuse to negotiate a lower fee as they want to keep the Belgian international, who is said to be happy in Spain.

Eddie Howe would love him

Howe would surely love to have the winger on Tyneside next season, as Carrasco is a proven performer at the top level in Europe.

He has played in six La Liga campaigns for Atletico and two Ligue 1 seasons for Monaco earlier in his career, showing that he knows what it takes to perform in a major European league.

The attacker played more than 100 games for the latter and is currently sat on 219 appearances for the former, scoring 57 goals and setting up 63 in that time for both clubs combined.

Carrasco has showcased his quality over a number of years in two different countries, and journalist Josh Bunting once dubbed him “extremely underrated”.

In the 2021/22 campaign, the forward produced six goals and six assists in La Liga and created 10 ‘big chances’ for Atletico. He can score and set up goals in the final third, and Howe would be buzzing to have a player of his quality in the Magpies’ squad.

No Newcastle player managed more than five assists in the Premier League and Callum Wilson was the only one to score more than five times. This suggests that Carrasco would be an upgrade on what the 44-year-old currently has to work with at the top end of the pitch.

At the age of 28, the Belgian wizard should be in the prime years of his career, as he is not a young player coming up through the ranks with little experience under his belt. This means that he whould be expected to slot straight into the team and hit the ground running if he moves to St James’ Park.

Howe will love to have a player who he can trust enough to throw in the deep end instantly, as it means that he can immediately improve the team, rather than needing to wait for them to develop over several months or seasons.

AND in other news, Ashworth can land big Wood upgrade in Newcastle deal for £30m gem who’s “one of the best”…

Former Leeds United defender Danny Mills believes the Whites will make numerous new signings this summer, following a quiet January window.

The Lowdown: Big summer at Leeds

The Whites managed to avoid relegation from the Premier League by the skin of their teeth, beating Brentford away on the final day of the season.

It was a huge moment for the club, not only in terms of their top-flight survival but also in a financial sense and the ability to make signings moving forward.

It is going to be a key summer at Elland Road, as Jesse Marsch looks to thrive in his first transfer window as manager and surely wants to bring in players to reflect his system and vision.

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The Latest: Mills predicts plenty of signings

Speaking to Football Insider, Sky Sports News pundit Mills claimed that a busy summer lies ahead for Leeds, following comments he heard from Whites legend Eddie Gray:

“I was listening to Eddie Gray on talkSPORT. He’s obviously very close to the club. He was effectively saying that Leeds United wanted to make signings in January, but Bielsa said no.

“He obviously felt his coaching was enough to see them through. However, we saw that towards the end of his time – that just wasn’t the case.

“I think we’ll see a lot of those signings this summer that were in the pipeline then.”

The Verdict: Have to get it right

The hope is that this proves to be true and that Leeds are able to splash the cash this summer, in order to pull away from those threatened by relegation.

It is a vital summer, in that respect, with Marsch having to nail his transfer business and make the Whites an established Premier League club rather than one scrapping at the bottom, as looked to be the case after 2020/21.

Shrewd signings are required in various areas of the pitch, especially if influential heroes such as Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha end up moving on.

In other news, Jesse Marsch is intent on signing one type of player for Leeds. Read more here.

Tottenham Hotspur winger Dejan Kulusevski put on an attacking masterclass as he terrorised Norwich City to secure Champions League football in N17 next season.

The Sweden international bagged two of Spurs’ five goals before he was substituted in the 68th minute but by then, he had long made his mark, allowing Heung-min Son to swoop in and capitalise on a broken Canaries backline.

Indeed, the South Korean sensation also bagged himself a brace, which was enough to see him share the Premier League’s Golden Boot with Mohamed Salah but it was the Juventus loanee who was arguably the clear-cut standout at Carrow Road.

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Earning an 8.9 rating on SofaScore, the 22-year-old dynamo was a constant threat in the final third, not only registering a total of three shots but also managing a whopping five successful dribbles from six attempts, easily bypassing Dimitrios Giannoulis on the right flank.

Kulusevski also provided two key passes, meaning he created a pair of chances for his attacking counterparts, Son and Harry Kane. Furthermore, he amazingly won eight of his nine duels (88%), only further emphasising how he had his way with Dean Smith’s defence.

Elsewhere, the £31.5m-rated marksman also put in one tackle and one interception as he capped off his fine half-season at the club in style.

His contribution took his total tally for Spurs to five goals and eight assists from 20 appearances, averaging a direct contribution once every 97.5 minutes – almost one every game.

It’s no wonder manager Antonio Conte was able to turn things around to guide the north Londoners back into Europe’s top competition.

As The Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick wrote in his post-match ratings column, Kulusevski was “decisive again” before going onto praise his selfless nature.

Once lauded as a “monster” by Italian Football expert Nima Tavallaey Roodsari, Juventus’ loss has certainly been Tottenham’s gain and we got to witness yet another fine display from the young winger.

Kulusevski absolutely terrorised the Canaries with his attacking exploits as he helped secure a lucrative top-four finish in the Premier League.

AND in other news, Spurs dealt Cristian Romero injury setback…

Phil Hay has dropped an update on the future of Leeds United forward Rodrigo.

What’s the talk?

Speaking on a recent episode of The Phil Hay Show, The Athletic journalist suggested that Leeds could be set to inform the 31-year-old that they will be willing to listen to offers for him in the summer transfer window.

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Concerning the Spain international’s future, Hay said: “It should be a transfer window where you might have to say to Rodrigo, ‘this isn’t working, we’re going to cut our losses with you, listen to offers for you,’ however you want to put it.”

Supporters will love Hay’s claim

Considering just how poor Rodrigo has been for Leeds this season, Hay’s claim that the club could look to put their club-record £27m signing up for sale this summer is sure to be news the Elland Road faithful will love.

Indeed, over his 31 Premier League appearances in 2021/22, the £13.5m-rated forward scored six goals, provided one assist and missed five big chances, as well as hitting the target with an average of a mere 0.6 shots, losing possession of the ball 11.5 times and winning just 2.9 duels – at a success rate of 38% – per game.

These metrics saw the £100k-per-week Spaniard average a disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.80, ranking him as the Whites’ joint ninth-best performer in the English top flight.

And, while these returns are not completely disastrous, considering the enormous transfer fee Victor Orta paid for the 31-year-old, in addition to his extremely hefty weekly wage, it is no surprise that, on a recent poll ran by Football FanCast the vast majority of Leeds supporters revealed that they wanted their club to move the forward on this summer.

As such, it is clear to see that Hay’s claim concerning Rodrigo will undoubtedly be news all in LS11 will be glad to hear, as, unfortunately for the 27-time capped international, it has just not worked out in England.

AND in other news: “That could happen..”: Phil Hay drops big summer claim, Leeds supporters surely gutted