Tottenham Hotspur 2 - 0 Everton

Redknapp's challenge to Spurs' stand-ins

Updated: October 26, 2009, 3:54 PM UK

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has urged his fringe players to seize their opportunity to shine when he rotates his squad for the Carling Cup clash against Everton.

With Jermain Defoe suspended and Aaron Lennon, Jonathan Woodgate, Ledley King and Luka Modric injured, Redknapp will give the likes of Roman Pavlyuchenko, Gareth Bale, David Bentley and Alan Hutton a chance to impress in the fourth-round tie at White Hart Lane.

"It's a good opportunity for them to play,'' said Redknapp.

"When the chance comes they have to take it and stake a claim for a place.''

Pavlyuchenko has been behind Defoe and Robbie Keane in the pecking order and desperately wants regular games to enhance his World Cup chances next year, while right-winger Bentley and left-back Bale have failed to dislodge Lennon or Benoit Assou-Ekotto from Redknapp's first-choice team.

Redknapp stressed his team will still be strong, as Spurs seek to reach the final of the competition for a third consecutive season.

"We take it seriously, but I have to play other lads that need a game and are working hard at the training ground every day,'' he explained.

"They need to get a game or two in them.

"They played well in the previous rounds at Doncaster and Preston. Everyone else will be doing the same this week too - if you look at Arsenal or Liverpool's game on Wednesday it won't bear much resemblance to Sunday. You still want to win every game, so I will have a good team.

"We've been to the final for the last two days and we want to go back. We have a chance in this and the FA Cup.''

Everton fear they could be without 11 players for the tie, the date of which has angered manager David Moyes.

The Toffees have suffered a spate of injuries and face playing three games in six days, with Moyes angry that tomorrow's fourth round tie at Spurs could not have been moved to Wednesday.

But TV requirements, added to police concerns about two sets of fans from Merseyside travelling in the capital on the same day, meant that it was Liverpool's trip to Arsenal that was switched for live broadcast.

That left Everton forced to play their tie tomorrow, two days after facing Bolton in the Barclays Premier League.

Coming on the back of a Europa League thrashing against Benfica in Lisbon on Thursday, Moyes' mood has not been calmed.

The Scot attacked the competition organisers in his programme notes 10 days ago, writing: "My philosophy has always been to try and put out our best teams in whatever competition we enter, but I find a lack of respect we have been shown by the organisers of the Carling Cup really disappointing.

"That's the support you get for trying to put out a strong side. If I were Carling I would question the people running the competition.''

And on Monday he added: "We have a lot of games coming up and things are difficult with selection. But I certainly enjoyed getting to the FA Cup final last season and I would love to do that again in this competition.

"We will be trying our hardest to get through to the next stage, whatever team we put out.

"We have been without some of our best players certainly for half of last season and now the start of this. Sooner or later, somewhere along the line it will take its toll in performances and some of the results.''

Ayegbeni Yakubu (heel), Diniyar Bilyaletdinov (groin), Joseph Yobo (head) and Leighton Baines (calf) are the likeliest of Everton's wounded brigade to be considered for the Spurs match, but the chances are remote.

Moyes could be without those four plus Mikel Arteta, Steven Pienaar, Phil Jagielka, Leon Osman, Victor Anichebe, Phil Neville and James Vaughan.

John Heitinga, who came off with cramp in the 3-2 defeat at Bolton, will return and Lucas Neill will be given another chance to show his worth.