Tottenham Hotspur face Championship outfit Fulham in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup this Sunday. However, expecting a routine win against second-tier opposition is a dangerous game.
Indeed, promotion is probably a little beyond the Cottagers this season - they are currently laying six points off a play-off spot - but Slavisa Jokanovic has steadily forged an exciting, attacking side that certainly knows where the goal is, netting the third-most times of any Championship club this season.
Add home advantage and a run of six wins in nine into the equation, and Sunday's game - our Fixture in Focus - has the potential to be a real banana-skin for the visiting Premier League outfit.
Sometimes in football, you have to take a step back in order to move forwards, and that may well be the approach Pochettino is forced to take this weekend, especially if he plans to field a weakened team.
With that in mind, we take a look at THREE defensive tweaks Pochettino must make to ensure Spurs aren't on the receiving end of the Fifth Round's biggest upset.
Be prepared to play on the counter
When a Premier League side meets lesser opposition in the FA Cup, they naturally gravitate towards the role of the dominant side, dictating both possession and territory whilst their opponents stick eleven men behind the ball and wait for chances on the break.
But flipping that tradition on its head, although perhaps perceived as a negative approach by the Lilywhites faithful, could pay off dividends against one of the top attacking sides in the Championship who look to build momentum by keeping the ball.
As you can see, Fulham rank top throughout the second tier for average possession this season, whilst 52 goals in 31 games shows how dangerous they can be in the final third. Defensively, however, the Cottagers aren't quite as formidable, so hitting Fulham on the counter could prove far more effective than trying to trump them for possession - especially away from home.
Courtesy of Whoscored.
Flood the middle
Inherently linked with their devotion to keeping the ball, Fulham focus 28% of their forward play through the middle of the pitch, which is the second-highest central attacking bias throughout the Championship.
With that in mind, it's crucial Spurs have as many bodies in the middle of the pitch as possible to soak up space and stop the Cottagers building up their effective possession game. Once again, that will improve Spurs' capacity to hit their opponents on the break; clogging up the middle of the park inevitably leaves space on the flanks - something the likes of Georges-Kevin N'Koudou and Heung-min Son have more than enough speed to swiftly take advantage of.
Courtesy of Whoscored.
Keep a leash on Tom Cairney
If there's one danger man Spurs need to worry about on Sunday, it's unquestionably Tom Cairney - the chief creator in the Championship and the man who keeps Fulham ticking.
Indeed, the former Blackburn and Hull man has amassed the most key passes of any Championship player this term with a whopping 74, 14 higher than his closest rival Ben Osborn, whilst he also leads the division's rankings for passes - which is made all the more impressive by the fact he's completed 93% of those he's attempted this season.
The 26-year-old lines up at either No.10 or on the right wing, but wherever he starts on Sunday, Spurs must pay special attention to stopping him. He's got the magic to inspire an upset at Craven Cottage.
Courtesy of Squawka.