Tottenham captain Michael Dawson insists he and his teammates have to go into the game against Hearts ‘all guns blazing’.
The ‘Battle of Britain’ resumes once more again tonight as Spurs take on their Scottish counterparts in the first leg of the Europa League play-off.
Spurs manager Harry Redknapp has insisted the competition won’t be his priority, with youth and fringe players being given the chance to perform in Europe.
Dawson, however, is hoping the Europa League will be a chance for the club to add some more silverware to their trophy cabinet but isn’t taking the two-legged affair lightheartedly especially after last years encounter with Swiss side Young Boys.
The North London outfit found themselves 3-0 down in the first half-hour before rallying to win the tie 6-3 on aggregate and the 27-year-old is keen to not re-live that same experience again.
“It’s going to be hostile and we have to be ready tomorrow,” Dawson said.
“We went to Young Boys a year ago and the first half-an-hour was a disaster.
“We have to go out there all guns blazing because they certainly will be and we will have to be ready.”
Dawson admits that the Europa League is a step down from the Champions League but despite overcoming both Milan sides in their maiden year in the competition, the Spurs captain is focused on getting his team to next years’ final in Bucharest.
“There’s no doubt (the Europa League is a step down) but we enter it and we go out there to win it. It’s a trophy that would be nice to lift,” he added.
“We know the league is our main aim but we try to do as well as we can in each competition and we all want to go out there and win it.”