Son Heung-Min celebrates
Son Heung-Min celebrates

Free football betting tips and odds: Rochdale v Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup


Son Heung-min is Nick Hext's tip to net when Tottenham travel to Rochdale in the FA Cup fifth-round this afternoon.

Recommended bets: Sunday FA Cup fifth round

2pts Son Heung-min to score anytime in Rochdale v Tottenham at 6/5

For details of advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record

Rochdale v Tottenham Hotspur (1600 GMT, BBC One)

There's just one match in the FA Cup fifth-round on Sunday as Rochdale host Tottenham on a "snooker table".

My best bet is therefore Harry Kane to score a 147.

That of course isn't really the setting. Rochdale are taking on Spurs at Spotland and Chris Dunphy, chairman of the Sky Bet League One club, is so impressed by the re-laid pitch that he has taken to a comparison with the Crucible.

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino was clearly not looking forward to experiencing Rochdale's previous playing surface but work has been done to give the Premier League club nothing to complain about.

Pochettino has apologised for his comments about the old pitch at Spotland and Dunphy doesn't appear to be keeping a grudge.

"It all got a bit blown out of proportion. Somebody showed the Tottenham manager a picture of the Rochdale pitch. It's like showing somebody a picture of a bowl of curry and asking them what it tastes like. Until you actually get out there you wouldn't know what it was like," the Rochdale chairman told Press Association Sport.

The new pitch will help Tottenham on Sunday but Rochdale will also benefit from it for the rest of the season as they scrap to stay up in League One.

Dale are bottom of the standings in the third tier and time is running out for the Greater Manchester club as they are 11 points behind Northampton, who sit in the final place above the relegation zone, at the time of writing.

Keith Hill's side aim to get the ball down and Ian Henderson is the main danger to Spurs' chances at Spotland.

The forward has netted three goals in his previous two appearances, including the only goal of the game in the 1-0 win over Millwall in Dale's fourth-round replay success.

Henderson is 19/4 in the anytime goalscorer betting but I want an interest in the shorter price of 6/5 for Tottenham's Son Heung-min to find the back of the net.

The South Korea international was dropped to the bench for Spurs' 2-2 Champions League draw in midweek but it would be a major surprise if he wasn't immediately put back in the starting XI.

That's certainly the case with star striker Kane a major doubt and no risk will be taken with the Premier League's top scorer.

Son has netted 11 goals this season and makes more appeal to me to grab a goal than Lucas Moura, who is set for his first Tottenham start after arriving from PSG in January.

Newport of League Two took Tottenham to a replay in the fourth round but I don't foresee the same problems for Pochettino's team against Dale.

A 2-0 win was claimed in the replay against Newport at Wembley and I expect Spurs to progress with similar ease, although Dale will be boosted if Kane doesn't take to the field.

Prediction: Rochdale 0-2 Tottenham (Sky Bet's odds: 9/2)

Posted at 2005 GMT on 16/02/18.

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