Tottenham Hotspur are set to return to the Europa League on Thursday night when they host Dutch side AZ Alkmaar at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Lilywhites, still reeling from a disastrous defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion before the October international break, bounced back with a convincing 4-1 win over London rivals West Ham United on Saturday, with Son Heung-min sparking a spark with his return to the side.
Meanwhile, Ange Postecoglou’s AZ Alkmaar are looking to maintain their perfect Europa League record, having won their opening two matches against Qarabag and Ferencvaros. However, they will need to be at their best to deny Spurs victory, who are one of only five sides to have won all of their matches in the competition.
Tottenham’s squad is filled with talent, and Postecoglou has the luxury of selecting a strong team from a fully-fit squad. The likes of Timo Werner, Richarlison, Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, and Radu Dragusin could all come into the starting lineup, but star man Son is unlikely to start given his recent return from injury.
AZ, on the other hand, are facing a number of injury concerns, with Bruno Martins Indi, Mexx Meerdink, Lequincio Zeefuik, Lewis Schouten, Wouter Goes, Ibrahim Sadiq, and Sem Westerveld all doubts. This could lead to a weakened lineup, particularly in attack, where former Spurs striker Troy Parrott is set to make his return to north London.
Tottenham should have little trouble bypassing an AZ side struggling to find its form, with the home team likely to dominate possession and create numerous chances. Even with a much-changed lineup, Postecoglou’s side should have enough experience to see the match out and secure a third straight Europa League victory.
Prediction: Tottenham 3-1 AZ Alkmaar.
