It was far from straightforward at Tamworth on Sunday but Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham team are through to the fourth round of the FA Cup. Forced into extra time by the National League side following a 0-0 draw after 90 minutes at The Lamb Ground, Spurs got the job done in the additional 30 minutes required to determine to winner of the tie.

Taking the lead courtesy of Nathan Muya Tshikuna putting the ball through his own net, Dejan Kulusevski and Brennan Johnson added further goals to register a 3-0 win in Staffordshire. Tottenham's prize for making it through to the next round of the competition is an away game at Premier League rivals Aston Villa.

Very much a nightmare tie for the north London club with a number of EFL sides still left in the competition, Tottenham will have to be at their very best if they are to prevail against Unai Emery's side. However, Spurs have won four of their last five visits to Villa Park since Aston Villa returned to the Premier League back in 2019 and the hope will be that they can carry on that impressive run of form.

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The fourth round tie will take place over the weekend of February 8, with the exact date and kick-off time likely to be confirmed in the days ahead. It would appear that another Sunday match is on the cards for Tottenham, though, as the team are in action a few days earlier on Thursday, February 6 when they play Liverpool in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final.

It is a huge week in Tottenham's season and one that could decipher if they are to go close in their quest for silverware come May. Postecoglou stated in September that he always wins things in his second year at a club and he will be intent on backing up that claim in what remains of the season.

The games don't get any easier for the Lilywhites as their following match comes at home to Manchester United on Sunday, February 16. Spurs have already got the better of the Red Devils twice this season, including in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals in December, but Ruben Amorim's side do appear to have turned a corner over the past week following excellent results and performances at Liverpool and Arsenal.

There is also the potential for an extra game to be squeezed in between the Aston Villa and Manchester United fixtures but it will all depend on how Spurs fare in their remaining two Europa League matches. In a decent position to finish in the top eight of the league phase table and immediately advance to the round of 16, Postecoglou's men will have to play a two-legged knockout phase play-off tie in February if they are to miss out on the top eight.

Tottenham sit ninth as things stand, level on points with Rangers in eighth, and they will be expected to finish as one of the eight best sides in the 36-team league table as they face Hoffenheim (26th) and Elfsborg (24th) in their last two games. Postecoglou and Spurs certainly won't want two extra fixtures on the calendar in February after already struggling with a hectic schedule this season at a time when injuries have hit them hard.

February is going to be a pivotal month in Tottenham's season, with the week involving the Liverpool and Aston Villa fixtures key to Postecoglou and Tottenham's 2024/25 silverware ambitions.

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