Tottenham Hotspur should take note of Newcastle result in FA Cup

Tottenham Hotspur is an overwhelming favorite heading into their FA Cup third-round match against Morecambe but should not need to look far for inspiration. 

It has been more than 30-years since Spurs have lost to a team from League One or lower in the FA Cup cup. The Lilywhites lost in January 1988 at Port Vale. However, Tottenham is likely without their two best players – Harry Kane and Heung-min Son – and looked pretty vulnerable the last time we saw Spurs in this position.

Playing a team far lower on the footballing pyramid, with a weakened and rotated squad, what can go wrong? That was the thought for Tottenham Hotspur heading into their Europa Conference League match against Mura, yet Spurs were defeated and are now out of Europe.

Sure Spurs are at home and Morecambe is not having a good season in League One and will likely be in a relegation scrap. However, on Saturday, we saw some of the magic of the FA Cup, as League One side, Cambridge United toppled Newcastle 0-1 at St. James Park.

Before anyone scoffs at the notion that this could be Tottenham on Sunday, having 58% possession with 23 shots and no goals, sounds a lot like a Tottenham game at any point over the last three seasons. As poor as Morecambe’s season has been 21st of 24 teams on just 23 points, Cambridge only sits five spots higher at 16th on 27 points.

Without their top two scorers, knowing they are the “B” team, and playing a team you are supposed to crush, this is exactly the kind of game, an underachieving Tottenham team would lose as Spurs did against Mura.

Likewise, this is an opportunity for this team and some of the players to show that this is not the same old Spurs and that they belong in this team. Tottenham only has to review Saturday’s results and see Newcastle’s loss to know it could be them if they do not bring it on Sunday in the FA Cup.