The Football Association expects Tottenham’s FA Cup fifth‑round tie against Rochdale to go ahead at Spotland on Sunday week despite Mauricio Pochettino’s complaint that the pitch is unfit to stage the game.

The Tottenham manager has seen pictures of the Spotland surface, which has been heavily sanded and has hosted only one match since 9 January – Rochdale’s fourth-round replay victory against Millwall on Tuesday. He made no attempt to hide his dismay.

The Argentinian feels there would be the risk of injury to players from both sides if the game were to go ahead with the pitch in its current condition and he intends to speak to his chairman, Daniel Levy, to see whether there is anything that can be done.

Pochettino urged the FA to intervene in order to find a solution but the game’s governing body says Rochdale have earned the right to play the tie at home and wants to give the League One club the chance to do so. The FA does not think it meets the criteria for a venue switch – which happens only in the most extreme of circumstances.

“I think you are going to struggle [to play on it], no?” Pochettino said. “But not only us. Rochdale, too. The FA need to assess how the pitch is and then take a decision about if it’s good for the FA Cup, good for the players and good for the teams to play on this type of pitch. It’s not a pitch in a condition to play football.”

Pochettino was asked whether he was worried about potential injuries to his players. “Yes, but it’s the opponents, too,” he replied. “It’s about providing a safe place to play for the players. It’s a big risk to play in a pitch like this – if the pictures I have seen are accurate. If it is like I have seen in the pictures, you cannot play football on it.

“It’s not because we are Tottenham. Rochdale cannot play there too. It’s a massive risk for their players too. Maybe the FA need to go in and take a very good decision for football – and not only because we need to go and play there. I am going to speak with the chairman and try to find a solution with the club.”

The Spurs defender Toby Alderweireld has spoken about the longest injury lay-off of his career but he says he feels fresh after returning to play the 90 minutes in Spurs’ FA Cup fourth-round replay win against Newport County on Wednesday evening. He sustained a tear in the hamstring tendon as well as the muscle in the Champions League victory against Real Madrid on 1 November. The Belgian is pushing for a starting place in Saturday’s derby against Arsenal at Wembley.

“I’ve worked very hard to play in those kind of games and be ready,” Alderweireld said. “I feel very good. It was a proper hamstring injury and the risk of re-tearing it was very big. That’s why we took our time. It could have been even longer but because we were clever and did the right things, I’m back playing. It was a difficult period mentally.”