UEFA Europa League: Tromso v Tottenham
Tottenham will hope for a morale-boosting win at Tromso despite having already qualified for the knock-out stages of the UEFA Europa League.
Andre-Villas Boas' men suffered a humiliating 6-0 hammering at Manchester City in on Sunday and subsequently find themselves down in ninth place in the Premier League.
The London club have failed to score in their last three league games - collecting just one point in the process - and a stunned Villas-Boas said his players should be "ashamed" by their performance at City.
Tottenham have had no such problems in the Europa League, though, having sailed through Group K with a 100 per cent record so far.
Jermain Defoe was on target from the penalty spot in a 2-1 win against Sheriff Tiraspol earlier this month to become Tottenham’s leading scorer in European competition, and the striker will most likely get another opportunity to start in Norway on Thursday.
Defender Jan Vertonghen denied talk of unrest at White Hart Lane following the defeat at City, and the trip to Tromso will provide an opportunity to demonstrate their unity.
Defoe is just one of several players who will be looking to stake a claim for a place in the Tottenham side for their Premier League clash with Manchester United on Sunday, with the likes of midfield duo Moussa Dembele and Gylfi Sigurdsson also hoping for a start.
Tromso have no chance of reaching the round of 32 as they have only secured one point from their first four games.
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Coach Steinar Nilsen expects the clash against Tottenham to be a memorable occasion regardless of that fact, though, and expects his side to raise their game.
"What I am most concerned about is that we will be able to identify our own games and our own strengths. I am actually very confident that we will manage to create chances," he said.
"The question is whether we can convert chances into goals and if we act cool enough defensively oriented.
"I think it will be a fun game and I think it will be a learning experience. We have measured ourselves against a team that has speed and skills at the very highest international level."
Tromso defender Adnan Causevic faces a race against time to be fit due to a groin problem.
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