FA Cup: Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur: Will Redknapp get the better of Hodgson?
Spurs haven’t managed to defeat Fulham in the league at Craven Cottage since the Cottagers’ debut season in the Premier League back in 2002. However, their last visit across the capital in the FA Cup in 2006 resulted in a 4-0 thrashing for the home side and Harry Redknapp would love a similar scoreline this afternoon to take his squad back to Wembley.
Redknapp, who of course won this competition with Portsmouth only two years ago, knows how important the FA Cup is to Tottenham and he will be desperate to bring the cup home after 19 long years. But Roy Hodgson will have other ideas.
The Fulham boss has transformed Fulham since he arrived at the end of 2007 and their recent Europa League win over holders Shaktar Donetsk is arguably one of the greatest triumphs in the club’s history. Beating capital rivals Tottenham though and reaching the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the first time since they lost to Chelsea at Villa Park in 2002 will be another amazing feat for the former Blackburn Rovers boss.
Fulham are difficult to break down at home and have lost only three times at the Cottage this season but form tends to go out of the window in cup games. Spurs will definitely be hoping that is the case considering their recent record in west London and the fact they’ve only won five times away from home in the league.
Spurs have needed replays twice this season against Leeds United and Bolton Wanderers to reach this stage but with things hotting up in the race for fourth spot I’m guessing the last thing they want is another replay. Fulham’s passage so far has been relatively trouble free. They have seen off Swindon Town, Accrington Stanley and Notts County so Spurs will undoubtedly be their toughest test to date.
A place in the semi-final is up for grabs and I think both sides will have a real go at each other and produce an exciting spectacle. Spurs are a good cup side but you can never write off Fulham.
