Spurs out for revenge

TOTTENHAM Hotspur fans could be excused for putting their faith in the old mantra “what goes around comes around” as tomorrow’s seismic FA Cup semifinal against Chelsea looms.

Decades of misery have been inflicted by a club they once lorded it over, so victory at Wembley would not only heal some of the scars but also fuel belief that the Premier League title race could yet have a final twist.

While a win would put Tottenham in their first FA Cup final since they beat Nottingham Forest in 1991 – possibly against north London rivals Arsenal who play Manchester City on Sunday – it could have wider ramifications for the final weeks of the season.

In the space of a few weeks Tottenham have whittled long-time league leaders Chelsea’s advantage down from 13 to four points thanks to their own dazzling form and defeats by Crystal Palace and Manchester United for Antonio Conte’s side.

The cracks that have appeared in Chelsea’s facade could open wider should they succumb to a Tottenham side who have won seven successive league games.

Conversely, should Chelsea prevail it would surely give them the impetus to claim the Premier League and FA Cup double they last achieved under Carlo Ancelotti in 2010.

“For the neutral it’s a fantastic game and for us it’s a great opportunity to go into a final,” Chelsea defender Gary Cahill said.

“Every top player enjoys big games and this is a huge one at the weekend. But you only enjoy them if you win them.”

The last of Chelsea’s seven FA Cup triumphs came in 2012 when they also met Tottenham in the semifinal. – Reuters