Team news:

Mousa Dembele (hip) and Sandro (knock) are unavailable for Spurs but Jake Livermore is likely to recover from an ankle injury in time to start.

Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Younes Kaboul (both knee) and Scott Parker (achilles) are still out but Emmanuel Adebayor is available again after coming on in the 1-0 defeat to Wigan last Saturday. 

Hugo Lloris will start in between the sticks for Spurs.

Maribor's Ales Mejac is a doubt for the game but has travelled. Jovan Vidovic missed the tie in Slovenia through suspension but is available and Nejc Potokar is likely to return.

What the manager says:

Andre Villas-Boas: "Even though a defeat against Maribor doesn't mathematically disqualify us, it is a game we have to win. We are in this competition to win it."

"European nights at White Hart Lane are always great and we have to be better to get the win. 

"We were unlucky not to win at their ground, but they played well. Now we have to go for the win."

Where it will be won and lost:

Tottenham struggled to assert themselves on the game against Wigan last Saturday and that is unusual for a Spurs side used to dictating the tempo at White Hart Lane.

If Tottenham are to get on top and dominate Maribor like their superior quality means they should, it will come from the central midfield area. 

Without Luka Modric, and now without the injured Mousa Dembele and Sandro, Jake Livermore - and particularly Tom Huddlestone - will need to step up to the plate.

Neither have seized their opportunities in the starting line-up yet this season but if they can be sharp, precise, and inventive against weaker opposition tonight, it could be the catalyst for a comfortable Tottenham win.

Prediction:

It might not be as easy as it should be but Spurs should notch their first victory of the campaign.

Tottenham win, 3-1.