United Look For Hat-Trick Of Upsets Against Spurs

White Hart Lane will play host to the first leg of the Capital One Cup semi-final between home club Tottenham Hotspur and League One opponents Sheffield United tonight.

With Spurs sixth in the Premier League and United 45 places beneath them, it is not too hard to weigh up who is the bookmakers` favourites for the clash. Mauricio Pochettino`s North Londers can be backed at 4/11 with most bookmakers to win the game and give themselves an advantage going into the away leg. betfair have priced Sheffield United up at 10/1 to claim the win with a draw after 90 minutes available at 9/2 with bet365, betfair and Skybet.

A win at the Lane wouldn`t be the Blades first surprise victory of the competition, the Yorkshire club having knocked out Premier League opponents West Ham United in the second round and Southampton in the quarter-final.

Nigel Clough`s men had to come from behind to get the better of the Hammers in round two, Diafra Sakho putting the East Londoners a goal to the good just five minutes before half time at the Boleyn Ground. United forced an own-goal from Winston Reid to take the game to penalties, Mark Howard saving a spot-kick from Enner Valencia to see the away side take an unlikely victory.

Mansfield Town had previously been seen off 2-1 in the first stage of the competition, Andy Bulter and Marc McNulty scoring against their League Two rivals.

The West Ham clash was followed up with two all-League One ties, the Blades meeting Leyton Orient in round three and the MK Dons in the fourth stage of the competition. Both these encounters were played away from Bramhall Lane.

The difference between Clough`s side and their two challengers in these ties was Michael Higdon, the 31-year-old five-time scorer in all competitions grabbing the only goal against Orient in the second minute and a late brace against the Dons to survive a second half opener from Benik Afobe.

A former Motherwell striker, Higdon can be backed at 9/2 with betfred and Totesport to get his name on the scoresheet at any time during the match tonight.

Only one goal was needed to put Southampton to the sword in United`s last Capital One Cup encounter. McNulty pounced on an error from opposition goalkeeper Fraser Forster to net the only goal of the game half-way through the second half. Having scored twice in the competition already this season, McNulty is 9/1 (sportingbet) to add to his tally at any time.

The Blades have kept two clean sheets in their four previous matches in this tournament. Spreadex`s 15/2 says they can make it three against Spurs in tonight`s semi-final first leg.

Pochettino`s Spurs have kept a pair of clean sheets from their three Capital One Cup matches, after having received a bye into the competition`s third round. The club did have to come from behind in their opening game against Championship Nottingham Forest after Jorge Grant netted with half an hour left on the clock but Ryan Mason, Roberto Soldado and Harry Kane all shot past Dorus de Vries to see their side progress.

Kane was also on target in the fourth round, grabbing the second goal against Brighton and Hove Albion after Erik Lamela opened the scoring in the 54th minute.

Against Newcastle in the quarter-final, Kane and Soldado once again grabbed second half goals. Nabil Bentaleb broke the deadlock in the first half before Nacer Chadli double the advantage one minute into the second. The two aforementioned strikers added to their tallies to see their team 3 and 4 to the good respectively.

Tottenham have scored eight of their nine competitions goals in the second 45. Skybet`s 21/10 says Spurs will grab the first goal between the 46th and 55th minutes. Four to One (ladbrokes, william hill) suggests top scorer Kane will open the scoring.

Go To bet365

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21/01/2015     © Frixo 2024