The third round of the FA Cup gets under way on Friday as Tottenham take on Wigan.
Spurs look to dash Latics' cup dreams
The third round of the FA Cup gets under way on Friday as Premier League rivals Tottenham and Wigan go head-to-head.
Spurs have already made impressive progress in the Uefa Cup and Carling Cup this season and will hope their success in knockout competition continues.
Their manager, Harry Redknapp, is also well aware of what is required to take the trophy after leading Portsmouth to glory in 2008.
The cup will also provide a welcome distraction for the White Hart Lane club, with no wins having been taken from their last four fixtures in the Premier League.
Tottenham do possess an impressive FA Cup pedigree, having taken the crown on eight occasions, and have fallen at this stage of the competition just once in the last five years - when they succumbed to a 3-2 defeat at Leicester in 2005.
Wigan, meanwhile, have never made it further than the quarter-finals in their relatively short history and will be hoping to put that right this term.
They do boast a manager in Steve Bruce who claimed two winners' medals during his playing days at Manchester United, but he has failed to replicate that achievement since stepping into coaching.
The Latics will also be aware that they have never beaten Tottenham in their seven previous encounters, while they have also tasted third round heartache in four of the last six seasons.
They do, however, enter the game in impressive form, winning five of their last six games and their last three in a row.
Huddlestone setback
Tottenham's cause will be hindered by the news that midfielder Tom Huddlestone has an ankle injury and will definitely miss out.
Skipper Ledley King will be rested, Benoit Assou-Ekotto is suspended and Jermaine Jenas (calf) is a doubt, but Giovani dos Santos (ankle) and Roman Pavlyuchenko (illness) have been back in training this week and come into contention.
Scotland international full-back Alan Hutton is a long-term absentee and remains sidelined with a foot complaint.
Zaki blow
Wigan have been dealt a major blow as Amr Zaki looks set to miss the game with a knee injury.
In a statement on his personal website, Zaki revealed he has been ruled out of the match after taking a knock in the game against Bolton last weekend.
Zaki joins a list of absentees that includes Emile Heskey (hamstring) and goalkeeper Chris Kirkland (groin).
Combative midfielder Lee Cattermole is also out through suspension.
