Tottenham Hotspur could take on an Everton side without midfield star James Rodriguez in the FA Cup
According to Football.london, Tottenham have been handed a boost ahead of their FA Cup fifth-round tie against Everton. Toffees boss Carlo Ancelotti could be without star midfielder James Rodriguez, who may not be fit to take the field for the match.
The 29-year-old has been a revelation for Everton since signing from Real Madrid last summer. He was on target at the weekend as the Toffees showed grit and determination to fight back against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
He appeared to have taken a knock in the second half and came off with 20 minutes remaining. A key cog in Ancelotti’s system, he will be missed.
It has since been revealed that he Colombian international sustained a calf problem in the closing stages of the first half against United. Ancelotti didn’t want to risk aggravating it further.
With just three more wins separating us from making yet another Wembley appearance, Jose Mourinho’s side will have a major advantage if Rodriguez is indeed ruled out. A key orchestrator in Everton’s attack, his absence will free up the Spurs midfield, who can then focus on our own attack.
The Everton midfielder has excelled in the FA Cup so far, providing three assists in just two appearances. In fact, he made his Blues debut on the opening day of the Premier League season against Tottenham. He put up a fine display on the night as Mourinho’s side endured a miserable 1-0 defeat.
Pragmatism the key
With chances of us challenging for the league diminishing, cup competitions provide the ideal opportunity for us to break our trophy duck. A win against Everton will leave us just one step closer to making what could be a potential second successful trip to the home of English football.
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Harry Kane returned from injury and immediately got onto the scoresheet on the weekend. With Son Heung-Min also discovering his scoring boots, Spurs can hopefully go on another run of wins.
