Tottenham predicted lineup vs Portsmouth - FA Cup
By Tom Gott
Tottenham enter the FA Cup at the third-round stage with a visit from Portsmouth on Saturday.
Spurs have been a bit all over the place domestically and may appreciate the chance to turn their focus away from the Premier League, although Antonio Conte will be determined to avoid the kind of slip-up that could have major repercussions.
Here's the lineup Conte could opt for.
Tottenham predicted lineup vs Portsmouth (3-5-2)
GK: Fraser Forster - Conte is happy to use his backup goalkeepers in cup competitions and should have no hesitations turning to Forster, who is still waiting for his first Spurs clean sheet.
CB: Davinson Sanchez - Sanchez has fallen down the pecking order this season and may have to rely on games like this for the chance to impress Conte and recover his starting spot.
CB: Eric Dier - Dier won't expect to be too busy against League One opposition and can probably get away without being rested.
CB: Ben Davies - Formerly a permanent starter, Davies has been in and out of the squad recently and that could mean he gets handed a start here.
RM: Djed Spence - Conte has made his feelings on young Spence perfectly clear this season. He has played five times totalling a combined 30 minutes, so this is the sort of game Spence needs to play.
CM: Oliver Skipp - Skipp made a nice impression against Crystal Palace and could be rewarded with another chance to impress.
CM: Pape Matar Sarr - Sarr has won over plenty of fans on social media and probably deserves a start to prove he can help make up for the absence of the injured Rodrigo Bentancur.
CM: Yves Bissouma - Having served his one-game suspension against Palace, Bissouma is back available here.
LM: Ryan Sessegnon - The summer arrival of Ivan Perisic has limited Sessegnon's role this season but he'll be relishing the chance of proving himself in the cup.
ST: Bryan Gil - Limited attacking options, coupled with an impending north London derby against Arsenal, could force Conte to get a bit creative up top, so there may be a central start for Gil.
ST: Son Heung-min - Don't expect Conte to risk star man Harry Kane in this kind of game with the big Arsenal clash just around the corner. Ideally, he'd rest Son as well, but the options just aren't there.