Squawka
·3 October 2024
Squawka
·3 October 2024
Tottenham made a perfect start to their Europa League campaign with a 3-0 home win over Qarabag last week and the Lilywhites will be seeking a fifth straight victory in all competitions when they take on Hungarian champions Ferencvaros in Budapest on Thursday night.
Ferencvaros (4-2-3-1): Dibu; Botka, Cisse, Szalai, Ramirez; Abu Fani, Rommens; Traore, Zachariassen, Saldanha; Varga.
Tottenham (4-3-3): Vicario; Gray, Romero, Van de Ven, Davies; Sarr, Bissouma, Bergvall; Johnson, Solanke, Werner.
It hasn’t all been plain sailing but Tottenham look to be heading in the right direction after an indifferent start to the season.
Sunday’s 3-0 rout of Manchester United in their own backyard was Spurs’ fourth win in a row in all competitions, and they have been noticeably growing in confidence with every positive result.
The performance at Old Trafford was easily Tottenham’s best of the season and there is a renewed belief that they could finish in the top four in the Premier League after failing to stay the course last term.
Winning the Europa League is another route into the Champions League for Spurs, who began their bid for continental glory with a routine win over Qarabag despite having Radu Dragusin sent off after just seven minutes.
Hungarian champions Ferencvaros may provide Spurs with a sterner test in Budapest on Thursday, but it is an assignment the Londoners will still expect to pass nonetheless.
The hosts have made a perfect start to the defence of their domestic title, winning their first six league games of the campaign, and Thursday’s match will be their eighth European outing of the season already, having come up just short in Champions League qualifying this summer.
Ferencvaros, who are undefeated in 15 matches at their Budapest base, were beaten 2-1 away at Belgian side Anderlecht in their first match of the league phase last week.
Latvian midfielder Cebrail Makreckis is Ferencvaros’s only confirmed absentee for the visit of Tottenham.
Home boss Pascal Jansen rested a number of his first-choice players for the weekend win over Puskas FC and seems likely to revert to his strongest possible starting XI for the Europa League clash.
Brazilian Matheus Saldanha is pushing for a start after scoring a hat-trick off the bench against Puskas.
Spurs skipper Heung-min Son missed the win at Manchester United and will have to be assessed.
Destiny Udogie is a doubt after coming off at half-time at Old Trafford while forwards Wilson Odobert and Richarlison remain sidelined.
Youngster Archie Gray seems set to start at right-back and Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou could change his entire midfield three, with Pape Matar Sarr, Yves Bissouma and Lucas Bergvall tipped to make up the Spurs engine room.