Team news and expected line-up against Partizan Belgrade

Thursday evenings are always fun being a Tottenham supporter. Personally, I like to play guess the 11 Pochettino will start with today – and nine times out of ten I am incorrect!

As we have become accustomed to all season, the boss likes to mix things up; very rarely playing the same side two fixtures in a row, and no doubt we will see a whole host of changes from the side that beat Hull on Sunday when we step out tomorrow night against Partizan Belgrade.

Injury list piles up

While Mauricio would’ve switched things up anyway, unfortunately he is forced to do so tomorrow evening as Spurs are without a number of key players.

It has been confirmed that Emmanuel Adebayor, Younes Kaboul and Etienne Capoue, who all missed Sunday's win at Hull, remain sidelined along with Andros Townsend, Nacer Chadli and Danny Rose.

Meanwhile, Federico Fazio is suspended for the Group C match, while right back Kyle Walker is still a few weeks away from full fitness despite after abdominal surgery.

On a positive note, midfielder Nabil Bentaleb returns following an ankle injury and youngsters Dominic Ball and Harry Winks will be included in the squad.

With Hugo Lloris available for selection again following suspension, it will be interesting to see if Poch sticks with Michel Vorm who had a great game against Asteras Tripolis in our last European outing.

Looking to secure qualification

Victory in our Group C clash in the Europa League against Serbian outfit, Partizan Belgrade, will secure qualification for the next stage of the competition with a game to spare and allow Pochettino to rest an array of players when we play Besiktas on December 11.

I’m sure he wishes he could have that luxury this week though as we also prepare for a tough clash with Everton on Sunday in the Premier League!

Can we keep up our record?

Despite a poor performance in Belgrade as we played out a drab 0-0 draw earlier in our European campaign, Tottenham’s home form has been superb and the North London side have lost only one of their last 13 Europa League matches at White Hart Lane.

A victory should be a formality and hopefully it will be wrapped up before half time so Pochettino can rest a few legs before Sunday’s big one against the Toffees.

What he said

Mauricio Pochettino:
“Maybe, maybe the team feels more freedom than the Premier League.

“It is a different competition. Maybe, maybe it is true. Maybe we are more confident in the Europa League, our feeling is more free, to play and show our skill.

“We need to try and show the same on Sunday against Everton. I think it is important to play well tomorrow at White Hart Lane.

“It is important for the team to go to White Hart Lane and make a good job, play well and win the game.

“Because it is true that in the Premier League we have problems in in our games at home – our results are negative, we have lost four at home.

“But while we need to find the solutions in the Premier League, it is true in the Europa League we have had very good results here and we are happy.

“This is another competition for us, an important competition for us."

Predicted 11

Vorm; Naughton, Dier, Chiriches, Davies; Dembele, Stambouli, Paulinho, Lennon, Lamela; Kane