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| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
SHAMROCK ROVERS  Thompson Sullivan, Oman, Murray, Stevens Dennehy, O’Donnell, Turner, Rice, Paterson Sheppard | TOTTENHAM  Cudicini Corluka, Kaboul, Bassong, Townsend Falque, Livermore, Sandro, Giovani Defoe, Pavlyuchenko |
Younes Kaboul is likely to continue at centre-back as he will miss Sunday’s Premier League match against Sunderland through suspension, giving Harry Redknapp an opportunity to rest either William Gallas or Sebastien Bassong. Andros Townsend started at left-back against Rubin Kazan and with Danny Rose injured he could fill that spot again.
Changes can be expected in midfield as Spurs prepare for three matches in the next seven days. Jake Livermore has featured fairly regularly in the Europa League so far and could be partnered with Sandro in the centre of the park. The Brazilian was an unused substitute against Stoke City at the weekend.
The home side should be well-prepared for the game having not played since the end of November, with the domestic season in the Republic of Ireland already having reached its conclusion.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
- Having suffered five losses in Group A so far, this will be Shamrock Rovers’ final match of the season. The League of Ireland season ended back in October, with the Dublin side crowned league champions.
- Manager Michael O’Neill will take charge of the Hoops for the final time on Thursday evening. The 42-year old is out of contract at the end of the month and is in the frame for the Northern Ireland job.
- Also out of contract is striker Karl Sheppard, who has impressed during Rovers’ Europa League campaign this season. He has been linked with a host of English clubs including Sunderland.
- Former Spurs midfielder Rohan Ricketts (pictured right) is currently under contract with Rovers, although he is unlikely to feature in the starting line-up for this fixture.
- Twenty-one-year-old Shamrock defender Enda Stevens could find himself facing Spurs more often in the future. The Irish left-back has agreed to join Aston Villa and will link-up with Alex McLeish’s side in January.
- Following their loss at home to PAOK, Tottenham will need the Greek side to beat Rubin Kazan to have a hope of progressing. Redknapp’s team trail Rubin by three points and will also have to overturn a five-goal deficit in the goal difference column.
- Spurs find themselves on the verge of being knocked out having also lost to Rubin in Russia, while they only drew with PAOK away from home in Greece.
- Redknapp has put his faith in some of his younger players during the competition this season. The key trio of Rafael van der Vaart, Luka Modric and Gareth Bale has been restricted to only one start each in the tournament.
- Goals from Roman Pavlyuchenko, Jermain Defoe and Giovani Dos Santos sealed a 3-1 victory for Spurs when the two sides previously met at White Hart Lane. Stephen Rice had opened the scoring.
- Spurs have conceded just one goal in their three Europa League away matches against Hearts, PAOK and Rubin Kazan so far. Bibras Natcho’s solitary strike was enough to hand the Russians victory in November.
Prediction
Redknapp should have a strong spine fresh and available for selection here, which will be enough to seal the points. Spurs will be aware of the need not to let up on their hosts, however, as they look to close the goal difference gap between themselves and second place rivals Rubin Kazan.
Editor's Prediction
Shamrock Rovers 0-3 Tottenham 
