Tottenham v Rubin Kazan: Europa League Preview

Tottenham Hotspur can cement their Europa League ambitions with victory at home to Rubin Kazan Thursday.

Spurs are level with Rubin on four points at the top of Group A after two games, following their goalless draw against PAOK Salonika and subsequent 3-1 win over Shamrock Rovers.

Manager Harry Redknapp is expected to field a weakened side having made it clear that his priority this season is a top-four Premier League finish.

Midfielder Jake Livermore could be asked to play out of position as Redknapp juggles a host of injury concerns in central defence. With seven players unavailable, the Spurs manager is hoping yoga and Pilates will help his squad to balance the dual rigors of a domestic and European campaign.

"We have been getting into doing the yoga and I think Pilates is just amazing," Redknapp told the Independent.

"It's great for them [the players] so they are all doing it now. I think it makes them supple. I joined in last week with all the coaches.

"I had sciatica for the next three nights, so I went missing when they were doing it next. But it's a great thing to do."

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Sebastien Bassong and Younes Kaboul are Tottenham's only fit central defenders for tonight's clash, with Ledley King (groin), Michael Dawson (Achilles), Vedran Corluka (foot) and William Gallas (calf) all side-lined.

Youngsters Danny Rose, Andros Townsend and Tom Carroll are all likely to start, as Redknapp looks to rest key-players ahead of Saturday's trip to Blackburn.

Giovani dos Santos and Roman Pavlyuchenko are also both set to feature.

"Central defence is a big problem for us," Redknapp told the BBC. "We are really down to two central defenders."