• Champions League

Redknapp toying with Dawson return

Michael Dawson has made good progress from his ankle injury

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Harry Redknapp has admitted he is likely to ring the changes for Tottenham's clash with Twente in the Champions League on Tuesday, but the manager has suggested the game may come too soon for defender Michael Dawson.

Spurs can secure top spot in Group A of the Champions League with a win in Netherlands, but Redknapp is mindful of the busy programme on the horizon. After the trip to Twente, Spurs face Chelsea in the Premier League and will then embark on the festive schedule. Redknapp does not want to run his first XI into the ground and has the confidence that the fringe players will step up to the plate.

"Luka Modric has had a bit of a flu bug," Redknapp said. "He was not great on Saturday, we got him through the game and he has travelled but he is a bit under the weather. I might change one or two anyway. There are lads who are desperate to play and have been unlucky not to get games, so I might shuffle one or two around to get them in the game.

"We have lots of games to come and if I make changes we are only talking about bringing in good players. I have confidence in the players who are not in the team to come in and play. To change one or two would not see me leaving out a top player to bring in a poor player. There is not an awful lot between a big group of them.

"It is a tough period coming up with Christmas and games coming thick and fast so we need to make sure we don't kill them off and overstretch them."

Dawson has not played since damaging an ankle on international duty for England in September, but he was on the bench at the weekend and is closing in on a return to action.

"Dawson has not had a game," Redknapp said. "He has trained and we put him on the bench on Saturday. We are looking to get a game into him this week. We are trying to fix a game up on Wednesday. It would be a bit difficult to get him in without any matches under his belt."

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