The second round of the Carabao Cup throws up an intriguing London derby tonight. Spurs make the short trip to Craven Cottage riding a wave of early positivity under new boss Ange Postecoglou, having recorded back-to-back impressive wins over Manchester United and Bournemouth to make it seven points from their first three Premier League outings with plenty of promising attacking football on show, not displaying any ill effects from the departure of Harry Kane.
Tottenham are keen to conduct more transfer business before Friday’s deadline with Brennan Johnson the subject of their attentions, but this evening must focus on cup duty with Postecoglou making nine changes in total. They are likely to face a tough test from a Fulham team that bounced back from their hammering by Brentford with a rousing and dramatic 2-2 draw at Arsenal on Saturday achieved despite going down to 10 men.
The hosts make six changes of their own tonight but will be without head coach Marco Silva, who is already serving a touchline ban after receiving three yellow cards this season. Follow Fulham vs Tottenham live below, with expert analysis from Dan Kilpatrick at Craven Cottage.
Live updates
Fulham 0-0 Tottenham
3 mins: No action at all really to speak of in the opening exchanges.
It’s all a bit scrappy in the teeming rain and the ball is being bogged down in midfield, with neither side able to build up much possession.
The more than 4,000 Spurs fans in the away end are making a hell of a racket, though.
Fulham 0-0 Tottenham
Standard Sport’s Dan Kilpatrick at Craven Cottage
Making nine changes for a cup game under the previous Tottenham regime(s) would have inevitably been grim but it will be interesting to see if Postecoglou has got buy-in from fringe players and built a style which transcends the first XI.
The cups are important for the manager but so is keeping his whole squad happy.
KICK-OFF
A great atmosphere as we get underway at the Cottage.
The away end in fine voice.
Fulham vs Tottenham
Here come the players at Craven Cottage!
It’s a very rainy, cloudy and gloomy August night in west London.
Let’s hope the action makes up for the rank weather.
Tottenham to debut new third kit tonight
A swift debut for Tottenham’s new third kit tonight, which looks to have been well received by fans after its official release earlier today – even if there is a little bit of confusion over its exact colour.
Not quite sure if it’s a pinky/salmon effort or more beige in tone.
Either way it’s a decent strip.
Six changes from Fulham
I make that six changes in total from Fulham, with Kenny Tete, Issa Diop and Antonee Robinson all keeping their places in defence.
Ditto Joao Palhinha in midfield and Bobby De Cordova-Reid up top.
Otherwise it’s all change, with Bernd Leno replaced by Marek Rodak between the posts.
Tim Ream partners Diop at the back with Calvin Bassey suspended, while Sasa Lukic, Andreas Pereira and Harry Wilson are replaced by Harrison Reed, Tom Cairney and Adama Traore.
Raul Jimenez also makes way for Brazilian forward Rodrigo Muniz.
Fulham’s bench includes teenage full-back Luc De Fougerolles and fellow youngster Luke Harris.
No injury concerns over Pedro Porro though, it would appear. Slightly surprised he didn’t make the Spurs bench over Udogie.
Dane Scarlett will be itching for a chance to impress later on, no doubt.
Nine Tottenham changes from Postecoglou
So Ange Postecoglou makes nine changes to the Tottenham team that won 2-0 at Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday.
Only centre-back Micky van de Ven and striker Richarlison retain their starting berths from the Vitality Stadium.
Otherwise it’s pretty much as we expected, with Ben Davies captaining the team and Emerson Royal also into that defence along with Davinson Sanchez. Fraser Forster deputises for Guglielmo Vicario in goal.
Pedro Porro is the only of the other nine starters at Bournemouth not to make the bench, with Destiny Udogie a substitute after being withdrawn as a precaution at the weekend.
Giovani Lo Celso starts in midfield, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg also starts amid those latest transfer links involving Manchester United and Oliver Skipp is also in.
Manor Solomon faces his old club as part of a front three with Richarlison and Ivan Perisic.
No Eric Dier again though amid those Bayern Munich links, or Japhet Tanganga, who is attracting interest from Torino. No Tanguy Ndombele, either.
Fulham lineup
Starting XI: Rodak, Tete, Diop, Ream, Robinson, Palhinha, Reed, Cairney, Adama, Muniz, De Cordova-Reid
Subs: Leno, De Fougerolles, Mbabu, Francois, Harris, Andreas, Wilson, Jimenez, Vinicius
Tottenham lineup
Starting XI: Forster, Royal, Sanchez, Van de Ven, Davies, Hojbjerg, Skipp, Lo Celso, Solomon, Richarlison, Perisic
Subs: Vicario, Romero, Udogie, Bissouma, Maddison, Sarr, Son, Scarlett
