Football: Walker dropped by Tottenham

Ossie Ardiles has reacted to mounting pressure by dropping his goalkeeper, Ian Walker, and fellow the defenders David Kerslake and Kevin Scott for Tottenham's Coca-Cola third-round tie at Notts County tonight. Erik Thorstvedt, Dean Austin and Colin Calderwood step in.

The Spurs manager will be encouraged by the news that County could be without three injured strikers Nigel Jemson, Gary Lund and Gary McSwegan.

Despite the absence of key players on both sides, the tie between Newcastle United and Manchester United at St James' Park still promises to be the match of the round.

The Football League have now sanctioned Manchester United's policy of resting senior players for Coca-Cola Cup ties, but such is the quality of the opposition only Peter Schmeichel, Mark Hughes and Roy Keane are likely to be missing. Alex Ferguson includes Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, Keith Gillespie and Gary Neville in the visitors' squad.

Newcastle will again be without Barry Venison, and Robert Lee is still struggling with the groin problem that has kept him out of the last three matches, while Steve Howey and Ruel Fox will have fitness tests. on thigh strains. Paul Kitson, Newcastle's pounds 2.5m signing from Derby County, seems certain to start only his second home game. while Alex Ferguson includes Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, Keith Gillespie and Gary Neville in the visitors' squad.

Arsenal are likely to go into their game at Oldham without Ian Wright, Tony Adams and Paul Merson all injured. Chelsea's Paul Furlong has a pulled hamstring and misses the match at Upton Park against West Ham, for whom John Moncur is missing with a virusmisses his second successive game with a virus.

Aston Villa, who aside from wins over Wigan (twice) and Internazionale, have not recorded a victory since 10 September, recall Garry Parker and Guy Whittingham to face Middlesbrough at Villa Park. They replace Phil King and Graham Fenton, while Kevin Richardson is again left out by the manager, Ron Atkinson.

Their opponents, Middlesbrough, who themselves have gone five league games without a win, will recall Alan Moore in the stead of the Bolivian forward Jamie Moreno Portsmouth, conquerors of Everton in the last round, will be confident of beating Roy McFarland's expensively assembled Derby side at Fratton Park., while Liam Brady's Brighton, who also took a Premiership scalp in the last round with a win over Leicester, will need to improve recent League form to get past Swindon at the Goldstone Ground.