Cup football will be to the fore over the next few days – and it should be mouth watering.

All eyes will be on Spotland tonight for the FA Cup third-round clash between Rochdale and Stoke City, which is a classic chance for a giant-killing.

It’s a tidy stadium now at Rochdale, all relatively new, but Stoke won’t be used to playing in such tight confines and Keith Hill’s side have claimed a few scalps there over the past few seasons.

The key to a match like this one can often be the first 20 minutes, and if the lower team can focus on keeping a clean sheet and playing at a decent tempo then it usually sets them up for a decent performance.

If the Premier League team get their noses in front, though, it often leads to the opposition stretching themselves too early to get back in the game and, more often than not, they end up losing another couple of goals and going down by more than they really should.

I reckon tonight’s game has the makings of a cracking FA Cup tie with a really good atmosphere, and if the Stoke players don’t go into it with the right attitude then they could be in for a tough time.

The Capital One Cup semi-finals are also nicely poised.

Chelsea at home to Liverpool tomorrow night may have the bookies favouring Chelsea, with it 1-1 at the start, but there really is all to play for and I’m sure Steven Gerrard would love to go out with a Wembley final.

Sheffield United will be really fancying their chances of turning over Tottenham at Bramall Lane on Wednesday.

If you had offered them the chance to be just a goal down going into the second leg, I’m sure they would have jumped at it – and if the Blades get the first goal, watch out!