Europa League: Rangers v Tottenham Hotspur
Venue: Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow. Date: Thursday 12 December Time: 20:00 GMT.
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Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou returns to Glasgow to face old foes Rangers in the Europa League with his Spurs side in need of a victory amid a poor run of form.
Spurs have won just one of their last seven matches in all competitions - a 4-0 Premier League victory over Manchester City - and Postecoglou has been criticised by some fans and pundits in the wake of Sunday's 4-3 defeat by Chelsea.
Rangers, who are ahead of Tottenham on goal difference in the Europa League table with both sides accruing 10 points so far, have themselves had a turbulent campaign and are already 11 points behind Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.
However, Philippe Clement's side are unbeaten in eight matches, winning six, and have saved their best performances for the Europa League.
Postecoglou got the better of Rangers when in charge of Celtic between 2021 and 2023 before taking the Spurs job, winning back-to-back Scottish Premiership titles and a domestic treble.
Now the Australian returns to Ibrox with the same pressure to deliver.
Rangers set for crucial four days
Clement, though, is ignoring any notion Spurs are arriving in Glasgow in crisis, and referred to the comprehensive win over Manchester City last month.
"It's Premier League, it's the highest level in the world," the Rangers boss said.
"Things are really close together, so you can lose points there. I think it's still a really good team."
Rangers face Celtic at Hampden on Sunday in the final of the League Cup, as they attempt to defend the trophy they won last season.
Clement, who has yet to win an Old Firm derby, dismissed any notion his squad's focus will be split but did admit the short turnaround will factor into his selection for Thursday night.
"If you have one or two days more, you can take it more separately, now I need to take them together in my mind, making choices," Clement added.
"But my players need to be ready just for Spurs, nothing else. And to be focused on that, and give everything.
"And also knowing that playing at Ibrox with our fans on these European evenings, it's something special, it's something magical.
"And if they are tough, if they are brave, if they show quality, then there's a lot of energy coming out of the stands also."
Postecoglou 'very confident' amid injury troubles
Postecoglou is under no illusions about the reception he will receive on his return to Govan, given his ties to the other side of Glasgow.
However, he said that kind of intensity and passion is what football is all about, pointing to the "meaningless" games played behind closed doors during Covid.
"Once you experience football in empty stadiums, you realise how meaningless it is," Postecoglou said. "As much as you think it could be hostile tomorrow, that's what we love about the game. That's what brings it to life. Ultimately it is a game the evokes passions and emotions.
"Like every human being, you'd love it to be positive but it's not going to happen. You definitely want that as opposed to playing the game somewhere sterile where you don't have that."
The Australian insisted that tough away fixtures in Europe - like this one and last month's trip to Galatasaray - will benefit his young side in the long run.
"We played Galatasaray and that was a pretty decent atmosphere as well," the former Celtic boss continued. "We've got a young team at the moment and the more we can expose them to games like this, the better it will serve us moving forwards."
Postecoglou added Tottenham's current injury woes are the worst he has ever seen in 25 years of management, but he remains "very confident" in his side's ability to "get the job done" on Thursday.
"When the draw came out, it was the one that was of most interest to me because of my history up here. It should be a good game and in the context of where we are in Europe, it's an important game for both clubs.
"A positive result gets you a good way to getting through to the knockout stages so I'm looking forward to it."
Team news
Tom Lawrence and Rabbi Matondo are still out for Rangers, but winger Oscar Cortes is fit for the first time since September, though can only play limited minutes.
Midfielder Ianis Hagi and striker Danilo are both ineligible having not been registered in Rangers' Europa League squad.
Tottenham will be without first-choice centre-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven through injury, which means 18-year-old Archie Gray, usually a full-back or midfielder, is likely start in the heart of defence.
Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and Richarlison are still out but Rodrigo Bentancur is available because his ban for using a racial slur only applies to domestic matches.
Match stats
Tottenham Hotspur have spent the most minutes (276, including injury time) and the highest percentage of their games (57%) in a winning position in the Europa League of any side this season
Rangers have scored 12 goals in their five Europa League games this season, only ever netting more in a single group stage campaign in major European competition in the 2020-21 Europa League (13).
Tottenham won their only two previous meetings with Rangers, winning 5-2 at home and 3-2 away in the 1962-63 Cup Winners' Cup second round. Spurs would go on to lift the trophy that year, becoming the first English team to win a major European honour.
Rangers are winless in their last six meetings with English sides in all competitions (D1 L5) since winning home and away against Leeds United in qualifying for the 1992-93 UEFA Champions League.
