The last time these two met Spurs overcame Twente 4-1 thanks to at least one dubious penalty decision and a rollercoaster performance from Rafael van der Vaart who missed a penalty, scored a fantastic volley, and then got sent off.
The score-line was unfair on the Dutch champions as they threatened throughout, and have by and large impressed throughout this Champions League campaign. Unfortunately qualification is out of their hands, so revenge for that 4-1 defeat will be the order of the day for reigning Dutch champions.
With Ruiz sidelined, they will be looking to midfielder Theo Janssen to continue his fine form, after the Dutch international scored a brace against De Graafschap on Saturday to move joint-top of the Eredivisie with PSV and Preud'homme will be hoping for more of the same to regain some pride and register their first home win in the tournament.
"We Want To Finish Top"
Redknapp would have been delighted to wrap up qualification to the last 16 as soon as possible, and the 3-0 win over Werder Bremen last time out did just that.
Now it is all eyes on claiming that precious top spot.
“We want to finish top if we can. Inter Milan will go to Germany looking to win because that top position is important. Otherwise, it’s [the likes of] Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich [in the next round],” Redknapp said.
Spurs have enjoyed a debut season that is scarcely believable. They are joint-top scorers in the competition, enjoyed one of the greatest nights at White Hart Lane in recent memory when beating holders Inter 3-1, and, despite losing 4-3, the second-half hat-trick by Gareth Bale at the San Siro was a joy to behold. If progression to the last 16 in their debut season wasn’t good enough to round it all off, then topping such a tough group certainly would.
TEAM NEWS
Twente
Manager Michel Preud'homme will be without last-season’s top goalscorer Bryan Ruiz for the visit of Tottenham, after the Costa Rica suffered a knee injury during two weeks ago and will stay out of action until the turn of the year.
However, Preud-homme still has a plethora of attacking talent, much like their opponents on Tuesday, and will most likely call upon their 6ft 5in tall striker Marc Janko and Moroccan Nacer Chadli, who has two goals to his name so far this campaign.
Nicky Kuiper is the only other injury. The promising 21-year-old left-back tore his knee ligaments in October and has missed Twente’s last two Champions League games, with Peter Wisgerhof likely to come in.
Possible starting XI: Mihaylov; Rosales, Douglas, Wisgerhof, Tiendalli; Landzaat, Brama, Chadli, Janssen; De Jong, Janko.
Tottenham
Spurs, meanwhile, are down to the bare bones. Luckily these days at White Hart Lane even their 'bare bones' means they still have international players to call upon.
Aside from long-term absentees defenders Ledley King (knee) and Jonathan Woodgate (groin), Spurs will also be without inspirational midfielder Rafael van der Vaart (hamstring) and defender Younes Kaboul (hip), but the latter is expected to be fit for the visit of Chelsea on Sunday.
Michael Dawson was an unused substitute against Birmingham last Saturday, and could well make his long awaited return from injury, and therefore his Champions League group stage debut.
Possible starting XI: Gomes; Corluka, Dawson, Bassong, Assou-Ekotto; Lennon, Palacios, Modric, Bale; Crouch, Defoe.
Prediction
Redknapp will not let the visit of Chelsea on Sunday put his players off, and will stress to them the importance of claiming top spot. Leading on the head-to-head record and goal difference over Inter, a one-goal victory at De Grolsch Veste Stadium could snatch it, but with their defence just as leaky as their attack is potent, they will need to concentrate.
Twente 1-2 Tottenham 
