Football
Nick Miller, ESPN.com writer 6y

Pochettino says expect changes for 'magic' Wimbledon FA Cup match

Mauricio Pochettino confirmed that he will make changes for Tottenham's "magic" FA Cup tie against Wimbledon on Sunday.

The game will be their third in six days, after Premier League fixtures against Swansea and West Ham this week, a physical challenge that he admitted he wouldn't have been able to cope with during his playing career.

Five of Tottenham's outfield players -- Jan Vertonghen, Dele Alli, Son Heung-Min Son, Ben Davies and Christian Eriksen -- played 90 minutes in both matches this week, so it seems likely that they will be rested for the tie with the League One side.

"We need to assess the players," said Pochettino. "A lot of players played 90 minutes against Swansea and again tonight [a 1-1 draw with West Ham]. We have three days to recover but it is tough for some players to play again. We will make some changes."

Pochettino confirmed fringe players like Kyle Walker-Peters and Juan Foyth "have the possibility" to face Wimbledon, but he insisted they would show "respect" to both their opponents and the competition.

"The FA Cup is special, a special game and special competition," he said. "They are in League One, but they will be tough to play against. When we played Wycombe [in last season's competition], it was so difficult.

"It will be tough, because the FA Cup is magic, and it's a competition that we have to take in the right way, to feel that it's an important competition. It's so important to have respect to the opponents."

Earlier in the year Pochettino said that winning either domestic cup competition would mean "nothing," but he insisted that those words were in the context of other, more prestigious competitions.

"You need to put my words in context, because if not you put in my mouth a different message," he said. "For a club like Tottenham to be consistent in the top four, to fight in the Premier League and the Champions League, it's so important.

"Then of course, the Carabao Cup and FA Cup are important. If you ask me if I want to win, I will. We will show respect with our starting XI, and like everyone we want to win the trophy.

"The problem is that sometimes I'm too honest, showing my emotions."

When asked if the FA Cup would prove to be Tottenham's best chance of winning a trophy, Pochettino laughed, before saying: "It's one chance more."

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