Tottenham host Chelsea in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup this evening as Jose Mourinho looks to get one over on his old employers in pursuit of his first trophy as Spurs boss. Express Sport brings you live updates from north London with kick-off at 7.45pm.

MATCH PREVIEW

Spurs boss Mourinho insists his side will not be able to have a proper run at the Carabao Cup this year due to their hectic fixture schedule.

This is the first of three games in five days for the north London outfit. They face final Europa League qualifying tie at home to Maccabi Haifa on Thursday before going head-to-head with Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday.

“I would like to fight for the Carabao (Cup) but I don’t think I can,” Mourinho said. “We have a game on Thursday that gives us not as much money as the Champions League but the group phase of the Europa League gives us a certain amount that, for a club like us, is very important.

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“It’s a competition with a possible group phase that gives us a good chance to go through to the next knockout stage so this game on Thursday is very important for us.

“I think you can imagine that with a game on Thursday that decides a very important thing for us, I think the EFL made a decision for us.

“They didn’t even create a problem – they made a decision for us. So that’s the decision.”

Spurs received a bye into this stage of the competition after Leyton Orient suffered a spate of positive coronavirus tests last week, forcing the fixture to be cancelled.

The Blues meanwhile hammered Barnsley 6-0 in the previous round with summer signing Kai Havertz netting a hat-trick.

And Chelsea manager Frank Lampard said: “I know Jose it’s a busy time for Tottenham because of the Europa League. It’s a busy time for us all.

“I know they have a busy week this week. But when I analyse Tottenham and know the squad they have, and analyse what might be a team that maybe didn’t play 90 minutes pretty much yesterday.

“They have a fantastic squad, so I feel that any squad Jose will put out can be very strong.

“I think we all know that the Carabao Cup, for teams like ourselves and Tottenham – who are challenging for the top four and Champions League, like we are – then the Carabao Cup does have its place and we certainly respect it and every tournament we go in we’ll try and win.”

TEAM NEWS

Spurs are without Son Heung-min due to a hamstring injury he suffered against Newcastle at the weekend.

Moussa Sissoko is another doubt due to illness while Gareth Bale is not yet fit and Japhet Tanganga has an issue.

Left-back Sergio Reguilon, signed from Real Madrid, could make his first appearance for the club.

Chelsea boss Lampard has confirmed that Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic are “still in their recovery stage” and will not be involved. Billy Gilmour is another absentee.

New goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and Ben Chilwell are expected to make their first starts for the Blues, however.

The latter made his debut against Barnsley in the previous round of the Carabao Cup.

Tottenham starting XI: TBC @ 6.45pm

Chelsea starting XI: TBC @ 6.45pm

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