Gent manager issues Tottenham warning ahead of Europa League tie: 'We aren't afraid of anybody!'

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Sam Long16 February 2017

Gent manager Hein Vanhaezebrouck has told Tottenham that the Belgian club "aren't afraid of anybody" ahead of tomorrow's Europa League last-32 clash.

Spurs will take to the pitch at the Ghelamco Arena as clear favourites, having dropped into Europe's secondary competition after failing to progress from their Champions League group.

Mauricio Pochettino's side occupy second place in the Premier League table and boast significantly more resources than Gent, who are eighth in Belgium's top tier.

Harry Kane has warned the north Londoners cannot take anything for granted and Vanhaezebrouck is adamant his players will not be fearful of going toe-to-toe with their English counterparts.

"We are Gent and we are not afraid of anybody. In the past it worked out very well in the Champions League and several other games," Vanhaezebrouck insisted.

"Braga, who is normally always a qualifier, we were very impressive against them but only took two points.

"Against Shakhtar [Donetsk] we played two very good game but individual errors and their individual class made the difference. We were beaten severely.

"We are going to have to be top - we cannot give away easy mistakes or they [Spurs] will cash it immediately."

Gent finished second in their Europa League group courtesy of a record of two wins, two draws and two defeats.

And Vanhaezebrouck is well aware his players cannot afford to produce such patchy form if they are to get the better of Spurs on Thursday evening.

"The game will be very difficult. We play against not only a team from the Premier League which is already an impressive league but secondly a team that is fighting to win the Premier League," said the 52-year-old.

"They did maybe not the best thing losing to Liverpool but that can happen.

"It's a team that plays very good football and has a lot of quality in every line. It will be a very hard task for us.

"If we avoid those errors as a team it's going to be a battle. Maybe we're going to lose it but we won't be pushed away completely," he added.

Meanwhile, Pochettino has confirmed he will make changes to the side which lost to Liverpool last time out.

Spurs will be without injured duo Danny Rose and Jan Vertonghen but the latter could be fit enough to face Fulham in the FA Cup on Sunday.

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