Toby Alderweireld and his Spurs team-mates are heading to Prenton Park
The 2018-19 Emirates FA Cup third round gets under way on Friday night when League Two Tranmere Rovers host eight-time winners Tottenham Hotspur at Prenton Park.
Micky Mellon’s side saw off Oxford City in round one before edging Southport in a second round replay.
Rovers’ reward is a meeting with Mauricio Pochettino’s Premier League high fliers, a tie you can watch live on BT Sport 2.
And here are four key Opta stats ahead of Friday night’s encounter:
- This is the first meeting between Tranmere Rovers and Tottenham Hotspur in any competition since the 2001-02 season – Spurs won 4-0 at Prenton Park in the League Cup third round, and 4-0 at White Hart Lane in The FA Cup fifth round.
- Tottenham are unbeaten against Tranmere in eight previous meetings in all competitions (W6 D2), knocking them out of The FA Cup in 1952-53 (9-1 in a replay) and 2001-02 (4-0).
- Tranmere are looking to reach the fourth round of The FA Cup for the first time since 2003-04, when they beat Premier League side Bolton Wanderers in the third round.
- Spurs have progressed from 17 of their last 18 FA Cup ties against opponents from a lower league. The only exception in that run was a 2-1 loss at Leeds United in 2012-13.
The winners of this tie will receive £135,000 from the increased FA prize fund.
