AZ Alkmaar are on the agenda for Tottenham on Thursday evening as they return to Europa League action. After securing a top-eight finish in the 36-team league phase table, Ange Postecoglou's side have been drawn to face the Dutch side in the round of 16.
The teams are already familiar with each other after playing at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium back in October. Spurs came out on top that day with a 1-0 win courtesy of a Richarlison second-half penalty.
Tottenham crucially have home advantage in the return leg next Thursday and the hope will be that they can take a healthy lead back to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as they look to go all the way in the competition. But who will Postecoglou name in his Spurs XI to take on AZ this week at AFAS Stadion? Our Spurs writers at football.london have made their team selections below:
Alasdair Gold - Tottenham Hotspur correspondent
It can never be all good news in the world of Tottenham Hotspur and with Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Dominic Solanke all in full training, so comes the sight of Dejan Kulusevski in a protective boot after a foot injury that we'll find out more about from Postecoglou on Wednesday at his press conference.
Van de Ven and Solanke have only just returned to training but Romero returned to training last week, which suggests he should be in a better position to play. Postecoglou will be wary of the mess that came from putting Romero and Van de Ven straight back in against Chelsea, but there could be a case for playing one in each half on this occasion to increase their fitness and sharpness with Bournemouth coming to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.
Kulusevski is a big miss but the Swede also needed a rest and it comes at time when Postecoglou finally has plenty of options in midfield and on the wings and he could even give Mathys Tel a rest with the teenager having played a run of matches after very little football this season before joining Spurs.
Gold's team: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Danso, Spence; Bergvall, Bentancur, Maddison; Johnson, Son, Odobert.
Rob Guest - Football writer
Ange Postecoglou's squad could potentially be boosted by the return of some key first-team players in Alkmaar. Speaking prior to last week's game against Manchester City, the Spurs boss indicated that Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Richarlison and Dominic Solanke are "all tracking really well" and it could be in the "next seven to 10 days" when they return.
If they are indeed in a position to make the matchday squad, those returning should start on the bench rather than throwing them straight in at the deep end. One player who needs to come into the side is Djed Spence after taking his place on the substitutes' bench against City.
As Pedro Porro was recently given a breather against Ipswich, it makes sense for Destiny Udogie to drop out and Spence plays from the left in what will be his first Europa League appearance of the season. Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall and James Maddison could be Postecoglou's midfield trio of choice, with Wilson Odobert, Mathys Tel and Son Heung-min selected in the front three.
Odobert delivered a promising showing against Manchester City and he may well get the nod again but this time from the right flank.
Guest's team: Vicario; Porro, Gray, Danso, Spence; Bentancur, Bergvall, Maddison; Odobert, Tel, Son.
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