Spurs need luck of the Irish in Europa League encounter

Tottenham need to pick up a win, make up a five-goal difference and hope PAOK defeat Rubin Kazan in order to advance to the knockout round of the Europa League.

Spurs are languishing three points behind their Russian group rivals and only a major goal overhaul against tonight’s opponents, Shamrock Rovers, will suffice coupled with a PAOK win.

However, manager Harry Redknapp has opted to only take 15 players over to Dublin, with a number of senior players making trip.

Roman Pavlyuchenko (back), Ledley King (knee), Tom Huddlestone (ankle) and Michael Dawson (Achilles) all miss out, but better news sees Niko Kranjcar recover from a thigh problem and is expected to start in the final group game.

Redknapp, ahead of the encounter, told reporters: “I was doing a little bit of work with them this morning and there’s seven internationals in there.

“Defoe is here, Gio Dos Santos, Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Kaboul, Pienaar, Niko, Sandro, they will all play. Danny Rose is an England Under-21 international.

“I’ve left five or six of the senior players behind – the likes of Modric, Parker, Adebayor – but we have a very good team.”

Potential starting XI:

Cudicini; Fredericks, Kaboul, Bassong, Rose; Falque, Sandro, Carroll, Kranjcar; Dos Santos, Defoe