The hosts look awful at the back. Definitely vulnerable to pace. And this Spurs side have that in abundance.

Joe Hart has not touched the ball.

A strong line-up and a strong start by Spurs. They're bossing possession. Ben Davies whips it into the danger area and a home defender sticks out a boot to concede an early corner.

Away we go.

The home team are on their way out closely followed - but not too closely because of social distancing - by Spurs who are in all-yellow.

I love that kit.

Dele's going to score tonight, isn't he?

No Harry Kane from the start. Jose Mourinho will hope he doesn't have to bring him on so he is fresh to face Newcastle on Sunday.

A reminder of the big news. Joe Hart makes his debut and Dele Alli is back in the startling line-up.

Shkendija: Zahov, Pavic, Bejtulai, Murati, Krivak, Nafiu, Dita, Ahmedi, Ljupcho Doriev, Totre, Ibraimi.

Substitutes: Redjepi, Neziri, Sadriu, Merdjani, Ramadani, Zejnullai, Es Sahhal.

Tottenham: Hart, Alderweireld, Aurier, Davies, Sanchez, Winks, Bergwijn, Ndombele, Lamela, Son, Alli.

Substitutes: Lloris, Doherty, Sissoko, Dier, Lo Celso, Kane, Lucas Moura.

Image source, Getty Images

It's a warm night in Skopje. The pitch looks in decent nick, the officials are from Turkey and Toby Alderweireld will captain Spurs. We're around 10 minutes from kick-off.

Image source, Rex Features

Jose Mourinho has challenged Dele Alli - who starts tonight - to make full use of the opportunities that come his way and is "convinced" the England midfielder will not leave during the transfer window.

Alli has lost his place in Mourinho's side. Substituted at half-time in the 1-0 Premier League loss to Everton, he did not feature in last week's Europa League win at Lokomotiv Plovdiv nor the 5-2 win at Southampton on Sunday.

"He's had moments where he was so good, but he also had moments where he was not so good," said the Spurs boss.

"If he's on the pitch one minute or 90 minutes he has to show us."

A reminder that we have extra time if it is level after 90 minutes. Then penalties. Let's hope it doesn't go that far.

Image source, Reuters

This tie goes ahead without Tottenham's new signings Sergio Reguilon and Gareth Bale, who are not ready to play yet following their moves from Real Madrid.

"Sergio is not on our Uefa squad list because we knew he wouldn’t be ready to play this match, we kept this list from the previous round so Sergio, not yet," said Jose Mourinho.

"At this moment, the list comes match after match, so if we progress, from the next match, we can change."

Tottenham Hotspur

Jose Mourinho on Shkendija: "I would say they are a similar level to our Bulgarian opponents in the last round. We are better, but we need to score goals to be better than them.

"In Plovdiv, everyone knows we didn’t have a bad match, not at all, I think we had a positive match from the beginning, but it was hard, and we suffered. Hopefully we can take the game in another direction and make it a bit easier for us."

Image source, .

I've got my fingers firmly crossed this is a straightforward night for Spurs.

Besides doing this live text, I'm also on match report duty for this one and can do without a repeat of last week's late drama as Spurs came from behind to beat Lokomotiv Plovdiv after two red cards and two goals in the final 12 minutes.

"We took it very seriously in Bulgaria, but even so, we were not far away from an unhappy night," said Spurs boss Jose Mourinho.

"For this game, we don't need that experience, but maybe it helps, because we know how tricky this can be. It’s only one match, penalty shootout, not a second game, and that’s hard.”

This is taking place in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, around 35 miles from where Shkendija are based in Tetovo.

Shkendija have had to switch venues as their ground does not meet Uefa requirements.

Having finished third in their league last season, this is their third qualifying game in the competition. They've already won away against teams in Azerbaijan and Romania to get to this stage.

This is nice.

Ahead of this game, Jose Mourinho stuck to a promise to pose for a picture with Macedonian journalist Igor Aleksandrovic after an exchange during an online news conference.

Freelance reporter Aleksandrovic asked to have his picture taken with the Spurs boss so he could frame it and put it on the grave of his late father, who had idolised Mourinho.

Mourinho agreed that the photograph would be arranged, adding: "My pleasure to do the picture with you. And my honour to your father and respect that he feels so strong about me. I don't deserve that."

Tonight's winners are at home to Rostov of Russia or Maccabi Haifa of Israel in the play-off round.

That game is already under way and is 1-1 approaching half-time.

The play-off tie will take place next Thursday, with the group stage draw on 2 October. Arsenal and Leicester will be involved in the group draw.

It's relentless!

Tottenham Hotspur

1 June 2019: Champions League final v Liverpool.

24 September 2020: Europa League third qualifying round v Shkendija.

Image source, PA

Image source, Rex Features

Joe Hart's last competitive appearance was for Burnley in the FA Cup way back in January. Will the 33-year-old keep a clean sheet in North Macedonia?

The big question was whether Dele Alli would start for the first time since being replaced at half-time during the 1-0 defeat to Everton on the opening weekend of the Premier League season.

The answer is yes. And so does former Manchester City keeper Joe Hart who comes in for his debut after joining in the summer.