Ange Postecoglou has vowed to pick a team that will 'do its best' to beat Aston Villa as the Spurs boss hit back at those who have questioned his side's 'integrity'.
Aston Villa could move level on points with third-placed Newcastle United if Unai Emery's team defeat struggling Spurs on Friday night and the Villains go into the game as overwhelming favourites. Although Spurs have reached the Europa League final, the Londoners find find themselves just one place above the relegation places following a solitary win in their last 10 top-flight fixtures.
It is clear where Spurs' priorities lie ahead of next week's showpiece in Bilbao after Postecoglou recently lost Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall to injury. Postecoglou, tellingly, made eight changes to that side that defeated Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League when Spurs faced Crystal Palace last week and it would be a surprise if the Australian did not ring the changes once again at Villa Park. However, Postecoglou maintained he will field a side that can get a result.
"We're certainly going to go out there and try and win the game and put out a team that, hopefully, gets that job done," the Spurs boss told reporters. "I'm not sure about the integrity.
"There have been times this year where we have had to field weakened teams because of injury. Does that affect the integrity?
"People are thinking that there is some sort of competitive balance that exists. That doesn't exist over the course of a season.
"I'd be very surprised if people are questioning our integrity to try and win a game of football. I'll put the team out that I think will do its best to win a game of football."
Newcastle will just be focusing on themselves, of course. In fact, one more victory should be enough for Newcastle to qualify for the Champions League given Aston Villa's vastly inferior goal difference and the fact Nottingham Forest cannot better the Magpies' points total if Eddie Howe's side win another game.