STAR PREVIEW: Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City

[dropcap]P[/dropcap]ass the sick bucket. Forgive me for counting the 9/2 winnings on the DRAW in the Man U v Sheffield U game yesterday. It was the very least I deserved for watching 90 minutes of a frankly dismal game. Two minutes to go and a silly penalty is conceded and the rest is history and a bad memory.

Plenty of FA Cup action on Sunday but the headline BBC match is at White Hart Lane with Spurs taking on Leicester at 4pm.

It’s being billed as the ‘Lineker Derby’ in recognition of the Match Of The Day’s presenters former clubs and the Star Sports specials team have come up with a special bet to mark the occasion…..

Gary Lineker to use the phrase “romance of the FA Cup” within 10 minutes of the start of Match Of The Day Live at 4pm today on BBC1.

Yes 2/1
No 4/11

One result these two sides will be keen to avoid is a DRAW – otherwise the Monopolies and Mergers panel may be called in. They meet again in the Premier League on Wednesday and again it is at White Hart Lane.

There’s been plenty of talk about Premier League sides playing weakened opposition (or ‘rotating the squad’ to be more politically correct) but in the case of this match you would have to think that either side will sacrifice a place in the 4th Round of the FA Cup for a win on Wednesday given their respective positions in the Premier League.

Both sides are very much live in terms of a title challenge. Leicester, the surprise package of the season, sit just two points off leaders Arsenal and Spurs are just a further three points behind Leicester in fourth spot.

The Foxes have been dealt a blow with the news that their top scorer and pivotal man Jamie Vardy has been ruled out because of injury. Jeff Schlupp and Matt James are also unavailable.

Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino is also planning plenty of rotation but Mousa Dembele, Alex Pritchard and Clinton Njie all remain sidelined.

Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City
FA Cup 3rd Round
16:00 BBC One / BBC One HD

HEAD TO HEAD RECORD
(Maximum 10 matches)
Aug 2015 PREMIER Leicester 1-1 Tottenham
Mar 2015 PREMIER Tottenham 4-3 Leicester
Jan 2015 FA CUP Tottenham 1-2 Leicester
Dec 2014 PREMIER Leicester 1-2 Tottenham
Jan 2006 FA CUP Leicester 3-2 Tottenham
Feb 2004 PREMIERSHIP Tottenham 4-4 Leicester
Oct 2003 PREMIERSHIP Leicester 1-2 Tottenham
May 2002 PREMIERSHIP Leicester 2-1 Tottenham
Feb 2002 PREMIERSHIP Tottenham 2-1 Leicester
May 2001 PREMIERSHIP Leicester 4-2 Tottenham

Spurs look a little skinny at 8/13 so again I’m playing the DRAW option at 14/5 with Star Sports. It’s like a 180 minute match – the first half very level and then all guns fired on Wednesday.

May the best team win. Forget the FA Cup, there’s plenty of romance left in the Premier League too.

RECOMMENDED BETS (scale of 1-50 points)

BACK DRAW for 4 points at around 14/5 with Star Sports

RETURN SINCE START OF WORLD CUP: PROFIT 50.29 POINTS

What’s your view? CALL STAR SPORTS 08000 521 321