Tottenham vs. Sheffield United: Physicality Gives Blades Edge in Capital One Cup

Tottenham Hotspur will have to be wary of giant-killing Sheffield United's physical approach when they welcome the Blades to White Hart Lane for the first leg of their Capital One Cup semi-final on Wednesday night.

United manager Nigel Clough's men have garnered a reputation for punching above their weight in cup competitions in recent times.

Last season's FA Cup run saw them upset Aston Villa and Fulham, while this season, West Ham United, Southampton and Queens Park Rangers have all fallen victim to the Blades. Four of those five were beaten on their home soil.

West Ham's and Southampton's good form, in particular, makes this feat all the more impressive.

In fact, in the seven cup games against Premier League opposition Clough has faced as United manager, his side have only conceded eight goals—five of which came in last year's FA Cup semi-final defeat to Hull City.

One of the key factors in their success against higher opposition is the League One side's physical, in-your-face style of play.

Blades midfielder Jose Baxter believes that it takes Premier League teams out of their comfort zone. According to Jack Pitt-Brooke of The Independent, he said: "In the Premier League, everything is into feet and nice. They don't really touch each other, they aren’t used to getting barged about, people in their faces, kicking them and not helping them up when they get kicked. It works for us."

Saints manager Ronald Koeman was less than pleased with United's aggressive manner, and he accused them of a lack of respect after the 1-0 defeat in the last round.

Baxter added that for the more technical teams, in particular, this approach can throw the opposition off of their game: "There's a lot of 'matey, matey' in the Premier League. I don't like it at all—hugging and kissing each other before games and all that. They're nice, they don't want to get kicked and they're all great, technical players. It's just when they come to play us and we give them a few kicks, they don't like it."

Clough echoed a similar sentiment, per Mark Ogden of the Daily Telegraph: "Because we're a League One side, we pose a different set of problems to what the top clubs face week in, week out."

It's certainly a tactic that teams like Stoke City have employed to great effect in the Premier League, particularly during the reign of Tony Pulis.

United striker Marc McNulty has been used to deadly effect this season by working the channels and causing problems for opposition centre-backs. McNulty has 10 goals from 12 starts this season, and in the game against Southampton, he was effective at making life difficult for their defence.

Mauricio Pochettino's Spurs are a technical side not blessed with an abundance of robust players, so this can be a big threat.

Tim Ireland/Associated Press/Associated Press

His team have already been successfully outmuscled in games this season, such as the 2-1 defeat to Stoke and more recently the same result away at Crystal Palace.

Spurs' play is based on possession and short passing, and as arch-rivals Arsenal have demonstrated down the years, as attractive as this style can be, it makes you vulnerable to the kind of disruptive tactics United are set to employ.

The Lilywhites are in good form and have plenty of quality, so it's entirely possible that they can show their class and ensure a place in the final over the two legs.

But with their fans often quick to turn on them this season, Tottenham will have to prepare for a very tough encounter.

The Blades will be going all-out to bring Spurs back to Bramall Lane with it all to play for, and when it comes to Premier League opposition, they take no prisoners.