Antonio Conte is set to take charge of his first match as Tottenham manager on Thursday and the pressure will immediately be on the Italian if he wants to see his side enjoy success in Europe. At the halfway point of the Europa Conference League group stages Spurs are third in Group G behind Rennes and Vitesse, to whom they lost in Arnhem last week.
If Conte follows in the footsteps of his predecessor Nuno Espirito Santo then he may well name a weakened side with an eye on Sunday’s trip to Everton. Equally he will want to begin his tenure with a bang, not the whimpers that have been too common so far this season at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Here is how you can watch the match and what you need to know:
Viewing information
Date: Thursday, Nov. 4 | Time: 4 p.m. ET
Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium — London
Live stream: Paramount+
Odds: Tottenham -400; Draw +400; Vitesse +1000 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Storylines
Tottenham: As Spurs work to secure work permits for Conte and his staff the Italian has been forced to take an observing role over first team training rather than get hands on with his squad. Many of them have seen Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho and now Nuno sacked and their captain, Hugo Lloris, insists that the Spurs squad must be ready to bear responsibility for their recent struggles.
“There is a lot of ambition for Tottenham and they try to provide the best towards the players,” he said. “But the players need to show their responsibility and they need to show their commitment.”
Vitesse: For Thomas Letsch’s side any points brought back from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could give them a huge fillip going into a trip to Rennes in matchday five that had previously looked like being a battle for second place. Spurs had been expected to streak ahead but if Vitesse can come back from London with at least a draw then their destiny will be firmly in their hands.
Prediction
Expect Conte to name a strong side and to be rewarded with good performances from players who know that anything less than their best will not be tolerated. PICK: Tottenham 2 Vitesse 0
