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Tottenham vs Antwerp predicted line-ups and team news ahead of Europa League fixture tonight

Spurs will hope to claim top spot to secure an easier route through the knock-out stages of the tournament

Bella Butler
Thursday 10 December 2020 18:30 GMT
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(Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur will hope to nick top spot in their Europa League group on the final night when they face Royal Antwerp.

The Belgian side currently lead the way, two points ahead of Spurs, and they emerged triumphant when the two teams met earlier in the group.

A win will ensure the north London side finish top and confidence should remain high after a good result against Arsenal recently, while Crystal Palace this coming weekend should be a somewhat easier fixture than Tottenham have had of late domestically.

READ MORE: Frank Lampard, Jose Mourinho and why the transformative power of the manager has never been higher

Spurs may opt to field a stronger side than usual with Mourinho having criticised below-par performances from his Europa League side.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the group stage finale.

When is the match?

The game kicks off at 8pm GMT on Thursday 9 December.

Where can I watch it?

The match will be shown live on BT Sport 2, with coverage starting at 8 pm following coverage of Dundalk vs Arsenal. Subscribers can also stream the match via the BT Sport website or app. Alternatively there will be a live stream on Independent Football here.

What is the team news?

Tottenham will be without Serge Aurier with a slight injury, while Mourinho has confirmed midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg will be rested.

Tanguy Ndombele will be back for the Europa League clash after he returned to training on Wednesday.

Mourinho seems certain to field what is now effectively a regular European XI, meaning returns to the side for Gareth Bale, Lucas Moura, Vinicius Junior and Dele Alli.

Kane celebrates scoring against Arsenal (Getty)

Antwerp will be without Matheus and Sander Coopman, who are injured and have not made the trip to London.

They will need a point to finish top so Leko will name his strongest possible side, which should be spearheaded by Lior Refaelov, who has three goals in five Group J matches.

Predicted line ups

Tottenham: Hart, Doherty, Sanchez, Tanganga, Davies, Lo Celso, Winks, Bale, Alli, Lucas, Vinicius.

Antwerp: Butez, Seck, Gelin, De Laet, Miyoshi, Gerkens, Haroun, Hongla, Juklerod, Rafaelov, Benavente.

Odds

Tottenham – 9/25

Draw – 4/1

Antwerp – 25/4

Prediction

Mourinho’s squad players have one final chance to prove their worth for more regular inclusion - once it gets to the knock-out stages and a chance of a trophy, the boss could keep his line-up more consistent. A home win looks the most probable outcome. Spurs 2-1 Royal Antwerp

This weekend get a £10 free bet with Betfair, when you bet £10 on a Same Game Multi on the Premier League. Terms: Min £10 Same Game Multi bet on any EPL match this Fri - Sun. Free bet valid for 72 hours, awarded at bet settlement. Excludes cashed out bets. T&Cs apply.

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