SPURS v LATICS
FA CUP 3rd ROUND (Sponsored by eon)
Friday 2nd January '09, kick off 8.00pm

FULL MATCH COMMENTARY ON LATICS WORLD

Steve Bruce will be without Kirkland and Heskey with Zaki rated fifty-fifty.

Latics travel to London to face Spurs at White Hart Lane on Friday night and Steve Bruce looks to be forced into one or two changes, but there's good news on the injuries picked up by Chris Kirkland and Emile Heskey.

"Heskey's scan has shown his injury is less serious than first thought," says Bruce.

"But it rules him out this weekend but hopefully he''l be ok in time for following weekend.

The news is similar for Chris Kirkland who pulled up in the warm up for the Bolton game. Chris' injury is also not too serious but Friday is too early for him.

The only other injury concern is with Amr Zaki who has pulled his calf and is fifty-fifty for the FA Cup on Friday and a late decision will be made on him.

Bruce says the absence of Kirland, Heskey and possibly Zaki will present opportunities for others.

"This game will give me an opportunity to give some of the players that haven't featured too much to play and show what they can do."

Despite the changes in the squad, Bruce believes his side will have enough quality to do the job and he is keen to progress in the competition.

"I would love to win something and the cup games are a realistic chance of doing that so I will still be putting out a strong side even if I do change things about a little bit.

"We would have liked the draw to be a little kinder to us than a long away trip to London against another premier league team but we are full of confidence and let's see what we can do."