Date: Thursday, November 7 Venue: White Hart Lane Kick-Off: 20:05 Tottenham can qualify for the knock-out stages of the Europa League with victory over Sheriff Tiraspol in tonight's Group K encounter.
Team News
Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has been passed fit despite being knocked unconscious by Romelu Lukaku at the weekend. However, manager Andre Villas-Boas says he is undecided if Lloris or understudy Brad Friedel will start in goal, and will not reveal his decision until this evening. Danny Rose (toe), Sandro (hamstring) and Zeki Fryers (groin) are out. Sheriff Tiraspol have a fully-fit squad to select from. (BBC)
Key Stats
Spurs beat Sheriff 2-0 when the two sides met in the reverse of this fixture last month. Sheriff are yet to win away from home in the Europa League. Tottenham are undefeated in Group K, and will secure their passage into the knock-out stages with victory tonight.
Following the tame 0-0 draw with Everton that saw them lose ground on the Premier League top four, Tottenham will ring the changes ahead of their clash with Sheriff Tiraspol tonight. Spurs beat the Moldovans 2-0 in their own backyard last month and a repeat result will see Andre Villas-Boas' men qualify for the last 32 of the Europa League. The Lilywhites are undefeated in Group K having taken maximum points from their opening three games, while tonight's opponents are yet to win away from home in the Europa League. That being said, Sheriff missed a series of gilt-edged chances in the reverse fixture with Tottenham going home with the points thanks to some pretty poor finishing from their opponents, and Villas-Boas says the side he sends out will show no complacency. The Portuguese boss said in his pre-match media interview:
"We will make a lot of changes but there will be no complacency."
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
