Tottenham Hotspur will take on Southampton away from home in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday.
With the Premier League out of their reach and the Champions League being a long shot, the FA Cup is one competition Jose Mourinho will like to have a go at.
Tottenham have certainly improved since the appointment of the Portuguese, but he hasn’t been able to get the team to play the brand of football that the fans will cherish.
Spurs have been pretty shaky at times, and lack the confidence that a top side must possess. Their main problem has been consistency, as the Lilywhites have failed to win three consecutive league games this season.
They have been lacklustre in the FA Cup as well. Middlesbrough gave them a run for all of their worth at the Riverside Stadium, so the match had to be decided in a replay.
Mourinho will look to avoid a replay when his side take on a high-flying Southampton side at St. Mary’s.
Tottenham Hotspur team news
Hugo Lloris has recovered from his injury, and featured in the narrow 2-1 win against Norwich City. However, we could see Paulo Gazzaniga return in goal for the cup game.
Defensive midfielder Tanguy Ndombele and full-back Danny Rose are also available for selection. It remains to be seen if Rose will be selected for the game, considering he had reported (h/t Telegraph) run-in with Mourinho.
Harry Kane and Moussa Sissoko are nursing major injuries, while Harry Winks sustained an ankle injury in the match against Norwich City. Hence, he is expected to miss out.
Predicted Tottenham Hotspur lineup vs Southampton
Goalkeeper
Hugo Lloris played in Spurs’ last game against Norwich City. Since he just came back from an injury, it is unlikely that Mourinho will use him twice in four days. Hence, Paulo Gazzaniga is expected to play in goal against Southampton.
Defenders
Japhet Tanganga was rested for the game against Norwich City, and he is expected to start at left-back. Serge Aurier is expected to retain his position at the right-back. Davinson Sanchez and Jan Vertonghen could feature at the heart of the defence.
Midfielders
Mourinho is expected to stick to the 4-2-3-1 formation, with Eric Dier and Tanguy Ndombele featuring in two-man the midfield pivot.
Erik Lamela should feature on the right, while Son Heung-min could play on the opposite flank.
It’s still unclear if Christian Eriksen will be at the club after the end of the January transfer window. Should Mourinho start with an unsettled player? Not really. We could see Giovani Lo Celso feature in the number 10 role.
Forwards
With Harry Kane injured and Mourinho young Troy Parrott not fully ready yet, Lucas Moura is expected to continue his role as a stop-gap centre-forward.
