Sunday trip to Nottingham has turned into a cup preview

Tottenham Hotspur was drawn away to Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup third round, making the Premier League match on Sunday a cup preview.

Sunday will be the first time Tottenham Hotspur will have played at Nottingham Forest at City Ground in over 16 years. That game was an FA Cup match, with Spurs running out 0-3 winners behind a Robbie Keane goal and two assists from Michael Brown in 2005. Thanks to the Carabao Cup, Tottenham is guaranteed to make the slog up to Nottingham at least twice before Boxing Day.

It has been a while since Tottenham faced Forest, but some Spurs are still familiar

Although it has been more than 16 years since Tottenham traveled to City Ground, Spurs last faced Forest in the League Cup in September 2014. That 3-1 win at the Lane saw Roberto Soldado score a rare Spurs goal, and a pair of current Spurs scored the other two goals.

After falling behind just past the hour, now Spurs assistant coach Ryan Mason leveled the score from a Ben Davies assist. After Soldado put Spurs up, Harry Kane finished off Forest from an Erik Lamela pass in added injury time.

Unused substitute Eric Dier is the only other member of Mauricio Pochettino‘s 18 still with the club from that match almost eight years ago. Hugo Lloris was not included as Michel Vorm started with Brad Friedel backing him up.

Nottingham Forest is an old-time Tottenham Hotspur rival

Although Spurs have only faced Forest three times this century, the match on Sunday will be the 81st meeting between the two clubs. There are only 12 clubs that Spurs have played more times than Forest. Tottenham has faced Nottingham more than several other current Premier League clubs like Leeds and Wolves (79 meetings) and Fulham (63).

Of course, most of those matches are more historical for Tottenham, with the rivalry dating to the first, First-Division meeting between the two clubs, which Forest won 3-4 at White Hart Lane back in 1957.

So historical is the Tottenham rivalry: the leading scorer in the 80 previous matches is Jimmy Greaves with nine goals, followed by Cliff Jones with six. Talk about legends.

Sunday will be the current squad’s opportunity to make some history at City Ground, but it will certainly not be their last, thanks to the Carabao Cup, so let the magic begin.