League One playoff hopefuls Sheffield United will go into their Capital One Cup semi-final second leg tie with Tottenham Hotspur with everything still to play for following an even affair at White Hart Lane.
Andros Townsend dispatched a late penalty to give the Premier League side a slim advantage in the first leg last week, but it was a far from convincing performance from Mauricio Pochettino's men and United will fancy their chances on home soil following a stunning weekend of upsets in the FA Cup.
Manager Nigel Clough is likely to recall a number of first team players to his side on Wednesday, having made no fewer than eight changes before the draw at Preston at the weekend.
Former Derby County defender Kieron Freeman is available to make his debut for the Blades having recently joined on a free transfer, while Scottish midfielder Ryan Flynn will need to prove his fitness as he monitors an achilles problem.
Christian Eriksen and Harry Kane are among the men likely to return to a Spurs side which was also rotated at the weekend, while Pochettino is to keep faith with struggling goalkeeper Michel Vorm. "We have full confidence in him," assured the manager, continuing, "If we’ve got to the semi-finals of this competition, it is because he has played well".
Belgian attacker Nacer Chadli will have his fitness assessed after missing the last two games on compassionate leave, while Nabil Bentaleb remains unavailable while on international duty with Algeria.
After a tumultuous few days of cup football, Blades boss Clough has claimed that the exploits of giantkillers such as Cambridge and Middlesbrough can serve as motivation for his side ahead of a difficult, but not impossible game.
"I read some quotes from Bradford players saying the Friday night game, where Cambridge drew 0-0 at home against Manchester United, a brilliant performance and result, gave them inspiration and belief," he said.
"And we are going to try to use this weekend for the same sort of motivation.
"But the other side of that is that it will have put Spurs on high alert - if last Wednesday didn't already - as lower-league teams can cause you a problem [as a top-flight team]."
With Spurs on form following big wins over Chelsea and Burnley, the Premier League side had been made comfortable favourites but Clough is optimistic that his team can pull off a result.
"The fact that it is only 1-0 has got everybody up for it and believing. It's still going to be an incredibly tough ask, but it's possible".
England winger Townsend's composed penalty is the only difference between the teams as things stand, and the 23-year-old has his eyes on a possible date with Wembley - but knows that Spurs still have one final hurdle to traverse.
"We now play a Capital One Cup semi-final with Wembley the target, so we’ve still a lot to look forward to and hopefully we’ll bring the positivity back on Wednesday.
“Wednesday is a massive game and hopefully we can put the smiles back on the faces of everyone associated with the club.
“That is what everyone is focused on doing and putting the FA Cup defeat [against Leicester] behind us".
Spurs have the better overall record with 36 wins to United's 28 and 26 draws, but their previous meeting before the semi-final first leg went then-Premier League side Sheffield United's way. Rob Hulse and Phil Jagielka cancelled out Jermaine Jenas' early opener at Bramall Lane back in 2007, but that is the Blades' only win in the last five editions of this fixture. If Clough is to follow in his father's footsteps and lead his team out at Wembley, that will have to change.