Harry Kane scored a contentious late penalty to save Tottenham Hotspur's FA Cup status by earning a replay from their third-round clash with Leicester City this evening.
The hosts broke the deadlock after just nine minutes at White Hart Lane when Christian Eriksen fired home, but that lead lasted just 10 minutes before Marcin Wasilewski levelled things up.
Half-time sub Shinji Okazaki made an immediate impact by putting his side in front in the opening minutes of the second half, but Spurs would rescue the draw late on through Kane's spot kick.
Find out how all of the action unfolded in an entertaining cup tie courtesy of Sports Mole's live minute-by-minute updates below.
Good afternoon! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for today's FA Cup third round clash between Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City at White Hart Lane. It is another all-Premier League tie in the world's oldest cup competition, with both sides also having one eye on a Champions League challenge this season. Their immediate focus will be on securing a place in the fourth round, however, and it should be an entertaining contest on the way there. First thing first, though, let's have a look at the two teams...
SPURS STARTING XI: Vorm; Trippier, Alderweireld, Wimmer, Rose; Carroll, Dier; Chadli, Eriksen, Onomah; Son
SPURS SUBS: Lloris, Davies, Alli, Bentaleb, Lamela, Winks, Kane
LEICESTER STARTING XI: Schmeichel; De Laet, Wasilewski, Benalouane, Chilwell; Inler, Kanté, King, Dyer; Ulloa, Gray
LEICESTER SUBS: Schwarzer, Drinkwater, Morgan, Albrighton, Simpson, Okazaki, Mahrez
What can we make of those two teams, then? Well, there are changes galore as expected from both managers. Starting with the hosts, has retained just four of the players who played out a draw with Everton last weekend, with the first of those switches coming in goal. Michel Vorm gets the gloves this evening, with Hugo Lloris dropping to the bench and Danny Rose taking over the armband from the French goalkeeper.
Rose is another of the seven changes, with Toby Alderweireld the only player to keep his spot in the defence from that match at Goodison a week ago. Kieran Trippier, who hasn't had many opportunities since his summer move, is given a start ahead of Walker, while Wimmer comes in for Vertonghen, who is left out of the squad altogether. Indeed, their defensive options on the bench look pretty limited, with left-back Davies the only recognised defender among the subs.
Further forward, Pochettino has kept both Dier and Carroll in the starting XI, which is a youthful base of the team. Dier has established himself as a very capable player having featured in defence throughout his first season at the club, while Carroll has begun to shine as well in the last few weeks. He will no doubt venture forward now and again to provide support for the likes of Chadli, who returns to the side, Eriksen and Onomah.
Dele Alli, who has directly contributed to six goals in his last Premier League games, including a fabulous equaliser against Everton, is left on the bench today, as is Harry Kane, with Pochettino opting to give both players a rest. Instead, Son leads the line for the hosts, which is a position he hasn't played too often since arriving at the club. He has popped up with the odd goal so far, though, so he should still give Spurs a good attacking threat.
As for Leicester, Claudio Ranieri has also kept his promise of giving some of his key players a rest today. Indeed, only three players keep their place from the goalless draw with Bournemouth last time out, and one of those comes in goal as Schmeichel is once again chosen between the sticks ahead of Mark Schwarzer. The veteran may have felt that he had a good chance of starting today, but Ranieri has opted to stick with his first choice.
It is all change in front of Schmeichel, though, as Ranieri changes all four of his defenders for this game. De Laet was expected to be one of the changes, as was Wasilewski, but Benalouane and Chilwell also get the nod to replace Huth and Fuchs respectively. Neither of those two are on the bench either, with Morgan and Simpson acting as the Foxes' defensive reinforcements this afternoon.
It will be interesting to see what formation Leicester play today, with the possibility of three in midfield or a 4-5-1 formation - either way it looks to be different to the 4-4-2 deployed at times by Ranieri this season. Inler gets a rare start in midfield alongside Kante, who has been one of the stars of this season, and King. Dyer may well be one of a front three alongside Ulloa and new boy Demarai Gray.
Gray makes his debut for the club this afternoon having arrived from Birmingham earlier this week, and there is a lot of buzz surrounding the youngster. He will have a job displacing Mahrez and Albrighton in a first-choice XI for Ranieri, but he will be eager to make a good first impression today, and he certainly has the tools to cause Spurs problems. Spearheading the attack will be Ulloa, who has scored in each of his five FA Cup starts since arriving in England in 2013. Jamie Vardy is sidelined with a groin injury.
So, no Vardy or Mahrez for Spurs to worry about today, but they wills till be wary of a Leicester side who, as things stand, look like challenging them for a Champions League this season. Some Tottenham fans may be looking even higher than that at the moment, with only six points separating them from leaders Arsenal, but the main priority for them this season must be getting into that top four. Whether that has an impact on their performances in this competition remains to be seen.
Tottenham's biggest problem this season has been the number of matches they have drawn. No team has lost fewer games than Spurs this term - with Leicester the only side to match their tally of only two defeats - but they have shared the points on nine occasions. That is the same amount of games as they have won this season and no team in the league has drawn more often. While a draw is obviously better than defeat, it still represents too many dropped points, particularly if they do have serious title ambitions.
It is quite hard to see just why that is as well. The balance of the Tottenham team looks among the best in the league, and they currently boast the best defensive record in the division having conceded only 16 times in 20 games. That may suggest that there is a problem at the other end of the field, but only three teams have scored more than Pochettino's side too. They have just conceded their goals at the wrong times, and perhaps it is also down to the youth and inexperience of this Spurs squad.
Even so, there is plenty to be positive about for them at the moment. They come into this match unbeaten in four games and having lost just one of their last 14 outings in all competitions, a run that stretches back to October. That solitary defeat was a surprise one at the hands of Newcastle United at White Hart Lane, but that remains their only league defeat since the very first match of the season, when Kyle Walker's own goal saw United scrape a 1-0 win.
That loss to Newcastle is also the only time that they have been beaten in their last nine home outings in all competitions, winning six of those. Arsenal are the only other visiting side to win here this season, doing so in the third round of the League Cup, making it just two defeats in 14 matches in front of their own fans this season. Their home record in the league alone is impressive too - only Arsenal and Manchester City have amassed more points in front of their own fans, while only two teams have scored more and conceded fewer at home than Spurs.
That impressive record extends into this competition, where they have won eight of their last nine at White Hart Lane and only lost one of the last 13. That defeat did come just last season against the very same opponents as they face today, though, with Leicester running out 2-1 winners courtesy of a couple of late goals in the fourth round. Home and away, they have won just one of their last five FA Cup games.
Indeed, their recent record in this competition has not bee too impressive at all. They have been knocked out in the third or fourth round in eight of the last 10 seasons, although in the two other campaigns they did make it all the way to the semi-final. They haven't made it to the final since they last lifted the trophy way back in 1991, when they clinched an eighth FA Cup crown - at the time a record.
Leicester's FA Cup pedigree does not quite match that of Spurs, having reached the final for the fourth and most recent time in 1969, only to lose as they had done in all three of their previous finals. However, even when they made it to three finals in the 1960s, they would have rarely been as confident as they are now. It has been a truly tremendous season for Leicester so far, and a good cup run would only seem apt considering how the campaign has gone for them so far.
There has, admittedly, been a wobble of late. Leicester have failed to win any of their last three games - their longest winless run since March of last year - while they have failed to score in any of those matches either. For a side that had scored in its previous 21 outings, that may be an area of some concern for Ranieri, although they have already long surpassed expectations this term so even a heavy dip in form would be forgiven.
It cannot yet be deemed as a heavy dip in form, however, as Leicester, like Spurs, have still only been beaten once in their last 14 outings in all competitions (excluding penalties). They have also kept back-to-back clean sheets for the first time this season and, while those have both been in goalless draws, they remain only two points adrift of Premier League leaders Arsenal. Perhaps even more importantly, they are seven clear of Manchester United, who currently sit just outside the Champions League places.
The big concern for Leicester fans amid their incredible run so far this season would be if Vardy or Mahrez went off the boil. Those two have contributed hugely to Leicester scoring 37 league goals this season - a tally only beaten by Man City. Things have not been as good at the other end, where Leicester have conceded more goals than any other top-half team, so the fact that they are now scoreless in three games, and with Vardy temporarily sidelined, could have some fearing that it is downhill from here.
Victory today would dispel those thoughts, however, and they have a good record on the road this season too. They have only lost one of their last 15 matches on the road inside 90 minutes, winning four of their last five and scoring three goals in each of those victories. That solitary defeat did come in their most recent away game - a Boxing Day loss to Liverpool - but they still boast the best away record in the Premier League this season.
They may have had troubles in front of goal in the fast couple of weeks, even missing a penalty in their goalless draw with Bournemouth last time out, but they have scored in each of their last 11 FA Cup games - a run that stretches back to a goalless draw with Nottingham Forest four years ago. That is the only match that they have failed to score in in this competition in their last 17 outings.
I've already mentioned their victory at White Hart Lane in this competition a year ago, but that is one of only two away FA Cup victories that Leicester have managed in their last 13 games in the competition since February 2005. They were knocked out in the fifth round by Aston Villa last season having previously beaten fellow top-flight teams Newcastle and Spurs to reach that stage.
PREDICTION: We're 10 minutes away from kickoff at White Hart Lane, which means that it is time for a prediction! This is quite a tough one to call considering the weakened teams being fielded by both sides. Spurs love a draw and it would be no surprise if this one was to go to a replay, but with home advantage and Leicester stuttering a little, I'm going to go for Pochettino's side to win it 2-1.
These two sides have met each other on 11 occasions in the FA Cup, and it is Tottenham who lead the way with seven wins to Leicester's three. However, Leicester have won both of the meetings since the turn of the century, running out 3-2 winners in the third round 10 years ago in addition to their 2-1 victory last term.
The Foxes may have had the better of things in FA Cup meetings this century, but it was Tottenham who provided one of the defining moments in English football of the 20th century with a victory over Leicester. They met in the FA Cup final in 1961, with Bill Nicholson's side running out 2-0 victors courtesy of goals from Bobby Smith and Terry Dyson at Wembley. That saw a Tottenham side including the likes of Danny Blanchflower and Dave Mackay become the first English team in the 20th century to clinch the fabled Double.
In the more recent past, these two sides met at the King Power Stadium in August, and there was late drama on that occasions as Dele Alli gave Spurs the lead after 81 minutes, only for Mahrez to level things up two minutes later as it ended in a 1-1 draw. The corresponding fixture here last term had plenty of excitement too - Harry Kane scored a hat-trick from Tottenham to help them to a 4-3 victory back in March.
These two sides will actually play each other again in just a few days, with Leicester returning to White Hart Lane for a Premier League clash on Wednesday night. The teams are likely to be very different on that occasions, but victory today could still give one of these sides a psychological edge.
KICKOFF: Here we go then! Leicester get us underway in North London as they look to dump Spurs out of the FA Cup for the second year in a row.
DeMarai Gray has his first shot as a Leicester player and, while it is nothing special, it shows a good bit of intent from the youngster. He cuts inside and only has one thought in his mind, but he drags his effort wide.
Leicester may have made a lot of changes, but they are still playing with a high pressing tempo when Spurs have the ball deep inside their own half. The personnel may have changed, but the style hasn't.
Spurs comes down the left as Wimmer pings a lovely pass out to Rose on the wing, and the full-back takes it down well. However, the full-back'a cross is poor and goes straight behind for a goal kick.
GOAL! Tottenham 1-0 Leicester (Christian Eriksen)
What a start for Spurs! They take the lead after less than 10 minutes, with Onomah playing the ball down to Chadli in the left channel. He fires a shot across goal that Schmeichel can only parry out into a dangerous area. Eriksen is following in and has time to take a touch on the edge of the box before burying his finish into the bottom corner.
Spurs have made a good, confident start to this match. They are knocking the ball around nicely throughout their team, while Leicester themselves are struggling to really string a good spell of passes together.
Going back to that Tottenham goal, Schmeichel will probably be disappointed with himself. Chadli's strike was not the cleanest one, and perhaps Schmeichel was expecting the ball to arrive a little quicker. However, he stil should have done better than just pushing it back out into his area.
YELLOW CARD! The first card of the game goes to Wasilewski, who came flying through Onomah and also took De Laet down. He can have no complaints with that one.
SAVE! Eriksen lurks over the resulting free kick and gets plenty of dip on his effort to make it difficult for Schmeichel. The keeper is across in plenty of time, though, and again he should probably do better than just punching it away, although this time he does at least get enough distance on his punch.
Vital challenge from De Laet as he halts Son in his tracks just as the South Korean looked like bursting into the box. Son had already skipped past one, but De Laet made a fine sliding challenge on the edge of his own box to deny the Tottenham man a clear goalscoring opportunity.
GOAL! Tottenham 1-1 Leicester (Marcin Wasilewski)
Out of nothing, Leicester have an equaliser! It comes from the first corner of the game as Gray, on his debut, whips the ball into the box to claim an assist. Wasilewski loses his man to get to the ball first before glancing a header past the keeper.
SAVE! Spurs look for an immediate response as Son makes headway down the left flank before cutting the ball back for Eriksen, whose firm strike is straight at Schmeichel.
These two sides have played plenty of good, exciting football this season, so it is no surprise that this match has followed that vein in the opening 20 minutes. I would be very surprised if we have seen the last of the goals here.
CHANCE! Chance for Leicester to complete the turnaround and take the lead as a poor Vorm clearance falls straight to King. The Spurs keeper is off his line and King goes for goal, with his effort taking a deflection that almost makes it loop up and over Vorm. However, he gets back in good time to collect it underneath his crossbar.
Spurs have enjoyed more than 65% of the ball in this match, but that is nothing new for either them or Leicester. Spurs are looking the more dangerous of the two sides at the moment, but we know how dangerous Leicester can be on the counter.
Good pressure from Spurs here as they spend a sustained spell of time in the Leicester final third, putting a few crosses into the box that Leicester have to deal with well.
Christian Eriksen celebrates giving Spurs the lead after less than 10 minutes at White Hart Lane:
Chadli goes for goal from range here, cutting inside before sending a bobbling effort towards the bottom corner. It is not the cleanest strike and appears to be going wide, but Schmeichel takes no chances and gets down to make a routine save.
Lovely play from Chadli this time as he picks the ball up on the left before dancing past Dyer and De Laet with some good footwork on his way into the box. His low cross is then blocked behind for a corner.
SHOT! The resulting corner falls all the way out to Trippier, who unleashes a thumping effort towards goal. However, it is always rising and doesn't trouble Schmeichel on its way over the bar.
SAVE! This time Dier tries his luck from range, and this time Schmeichel is tested as the shot bounces just in front of the keeper. Schmeichel can't collect it at his first attempt, but the ball does not bounce far away from him and he gathers it at the second.
A hint of a penalty shout for Spurs as Onomah gets into the box before going down under the challenge of Chilwell. It was a tug from the defender, but it happened outside the penalty area. Bobby Madley, however, awards nothing and there isn't much complaint from Spurs.
Spurs continue to pass and probe, which much of the ball coming inside the Leicester half. Ulloa is isolated up front for the visitors, and it must be said that they don't look as dangerous on the counter without Mahrez and Vardy.
Kante has been quiet so far, but he picks the ball up here and drives towards the Spurs box. He eventually plays a square pass to Gray, who again only has one thought in his mind, but his well-struck shot is blocked on the edge of the box.
Leicester have a chance to put the ball in the box after Wimmer was penalised for a foul on Ulloa, but Vorm this time comes out to claim Gray's floated delivery towards the back post.
There will be a minimum of one minute added time at the end of this first half.
HALF TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Leicester City
Bobby Madley brings an end to the first half at White Hart Lane, and we are still all square between Spurs and Leicester. The hosts have been on top in terms of chances and possession, but Leicester have taken the one real chance that fell their way in the opening 45 minutes and go into the break level at 1-1.
The opening goal took less than 10 minutes to arrive as Spurs broke the deadlock, although they were given a helping hand by Leicester keeper Kasper Schmeichel. Chadli was slid in down the left channel but his effort across goal was not the cleanest strike and should have been a relatively routine diving save. However, he pushed the ball back out into a dangerous area instead of sending it wide, and Eriksen was there to take a touch and fire the ball into the bottom corner.
The lead lasted only 10 minutes, however, before Leicester levelled things up against the run of play. Demarai Gray registered an assist on his Leicester debut with a corner into the box, and Wasilewski lost his man to nod past Vorm.
Leicester's only other sniff of goal came when Vorm's poor clearance fell to King, but the midfielder could not lift his effort over the keeper. It is Schmeichel who has been much the busier of the two keepers, being forced into saves by Eriksen on a couple of occasions as well as collecting one strike from Dier at the second attempt.
Spurs, as expected, have enjoyed the lion's share of possession so far, and at the halfway stage they are the more likely team to go on and get the victory. However, the counter-attack is on for Leicester, and with the pace of Gray and Dyer on the break they could be able to cause problems. The threat is certainly lessened without Vardy and Mahrez, but the latter is on the bench and this could be just the type of game for him to shine should he come on.
KICKOFF: Tottenham get us back underway for the second half, and the first thing to tell you is that Leicester have made a change at the break, with Shinji Okazaki replacing Kante.
Nervy moment for Vorm as Inler swings a ball into the box that Benalouane nods goalwards with a looping effort. There doesn't appear to be much danger, but Vorm isn't sure and tips it over the top for a corner.
GOAL! Tottenham 1-2 Leicester (Shinji Okazaki)
What an impact from Okazaki, and what a start to the half from Leicester! Spurs clear the initial corner from Leicester but it comes straight at back them, with Chilwell and King combining to find Okazaki down the left channel. He takes it into the box and sneaks between two defenders with a fine body swerve before seeing his first effort saved by Vorm. The ball bounces back to him, however, and he reacts to put the rebound in off the post.
CHANCE! Spurs have a chance to immediately level things up again, and once more it comes from a set piece. The initial header is blocked and falls to Son, who fires the ball back across goal. Chadli is there, but it arrives too quickly for him to turn his header on target.
Great work from Okazaki again as he dives in for a sliding challenge inside the Tottenham half, giving the visitors and their fans another lift. He has been buzzing about everywhere since he came on.
Good work from Wasilewski as he throws himself in the way of Son's effort after the ball had broken to the Tottenham man. Leicester continue to hold firm against the hosts.
SAVE! Chadli has looked dangerous at times today and again he manages to get into the box with some decent footwork. He opens up a shooting chance, but not for the first time today his connection isn't the best and it is easy for Schmeichel at the near post.
SHOT! Great counter from Leicester as they look for a third! Ulloa carries the ball forward and into the middle before sliding it out to Dyer, but his low strike ends up a yard or so past the post. Vorm looked to have had it covered anyway.
This one has developed into a really good cup tie. The Premier League may be the priority for both, but they are going all out for the victory here. It had the potential to be an entertaining game, and it has lived up to the billing so far.
Spurs struggled to really get going in the opening stages of this second half, with the game becoming more open than it had been in the first, but they are rediscovering their rhythm at the moment.
The fans are chanting for Harry Kane, and the man himself has gone to warm up on the sidelines. I can't imagine it'd be too long before we see him if this one stays as it is.
CLOSE! Gray already has an assist, and he very nearly has a goal to go with that on his debut. He picks the ball up on the left and cuts back inside before sending an ever-so-slightly deflected effort flying inches past the far post.
LEICESTER SUB: That proves to be Gray's final action of an impressive debut as he is replaced by Marc Albrighton.
TOTTENHAM SUBS: The hosts respond with a double change as Dier and Carroll are replaced by Nabil Bentaleb and Harry Kane, the latter of whom is handed the armband by Rose.
Bentaleb tries to make a similar impact to that of Okazaki by going for goal from range, but his strike is well off target.
It's all getting very open now, which probably favours Leicester even if it would be in their favour if there were no further chances in the match. They look a lot more capable of scoring in an open game than the pattern much of the match has been played in, with Spurs dominating possession.
TOTTENHAM SUB: A third and final change for Spurs, and it is Dele Alli who is introduced in place of Chadli.
Alderweireld strides out of defence in an attempt to make something happen, and he takes the ball down the right before sending a good cross into the middle. Inler is there to deal with it, however, nodding the ball over his own crossbar for a corner.
Spurs are running out of time to come up with something here. As things stand, they are on course for a 2-1 defeat at home to Leicester in the FA Cup for the second season running.
Tottenham have had 67% of possession here, but it is Leicester who have the lead. The Foxes have certainly looked more threatening in the second half, but Spurs will feel that they deserve at least a draw from the game. Having said that, their only really clear chance has been gifted to them by Schmeichel's error.
Half a chance for Leicester as Albrighton swings a cross into the box that Okazaki leaps like a salmon to meet, but he can't get enough on his header to turn it goalwards.
SHOT! Alderweireld is committing himself forward more often now, and he picks the ball up far upfield again here. He lines up an effort from 25 yards, but is being quickly closed down and sends his swerving strike a few yards too high.
Leicester have actually managed this game pretty well since taking the lead. They have posed enough of a threat going forward to prevent Spurs from pushing everyone into the Leicester half, while also withstanding any pressure that has cone their way. Spurs have largely been limited to long-range efforts here.
Good play from Onomah as he twists and turns his man down the left and into the box. It looks for a moment as though a penalty is inevitable, but De Laet does well to get out of the way and, in fairness to Onomah, who didn't look for it.
SAVE! Bentaleb looks to provide the equaliser for Spurs with a curling effort towards the far corner, but Schmeichel gets across and this time gets plenty behind his parry to push it away from safety. Good effort from Bentaleb, but it was a nice height for the keeper.
CLOSE! Intelligent effort from Alli as Alderweireld sends a high ball forward to the youngster, who just tries to flick a backward header towards the far corner. However, it loops just past the post.
PENALTY TO TOTTENHAM!
GOAL! Tottenham 2-2 Leicester (Harry Kane, pen)
It's a late, late equaliser for Spurs as Harry Kane nets his 50th goal for the club with a fine penalty. The spot kick was a contentious one, however, as the ball bounced up off Dyer's leg and against his arm when he wasn't even looking. However, his hand did flick the ball away from Rose in the area, so Leicester gained an advantage from it. Leicester will feel it is harsh, but you can see why Bobby Madley gave it.
There will be three minutes of added time at the end of this cracking cup tie.
FULL TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 Leicester City
Big drama at the end of this one then as Spurs rescue a replay from the jaws of defeat. There will be a lot of debate about that penalty, but ultimately it was enough for Spurs to nick the 2-2 draw. They took the lead inside 10 minutes through Eriksen's strike, but goals from Wasilewski and Okazaki looked to be sending Leicester through to the fourth round. However, Kane slammed home his 50th goal for the club to ensure that there will be a third meeting between these two sides in January.
That is all we have time for this evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for what was a great cup tie between two teams who have become renowned for their attacking styles this season. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction from both camps. From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
