Despite a slow start, Tottenham Hotspur powered through the weekend and emerged from the international break with a solid win to help overcome the collapse in Brighton. That makes it six wins out of seven across all competitions since mid-September, including the Europa League, which continues at home against AZ Alkmaar on Thursday.

Leaving the league stage was never the goal (or concern) of this club, as Spurs remain betting favorites to win the entire competition. But getting the job done early certainly beats future stress, and what happens mid-week can spill over into the weekends, so the results so far are welcome. Tottenham appear to be back on track and another win would continue the mission.

Tottenham Hotspur (t-3rd, 6 points) vs. AZ Alkmaar (t-15th, 3 points)

Date: Thursday October 24
Time: 3:00 PM ET, 8:00 PM UK
Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
TV: Paramount+ (US), TNT Sports 1 (UK)

AZ have split their two Europa League games so far, beating future Tottenham opponents Elfsborg and predictably losing to Bilbao. The Dutch team was last in this competition in 2020/2021, but has since often visited the Conference League, including a defeat against West Ham in the semi-finals of 2022/23.

The Spurs have not played against AZ in the European competition, but have of course competed with many other teams from the Netherlands. The most recent encounter was a split with Vitesse in the infamous 2021/22 Conference League group, while Tottenham faced PSV and of course Ajax in the magical 2018/2019 Champions League season.

Back parrots

When there’s a draw, the first thing everyone looks for is a story, and Tottenham certainly got one against AZ. Former academy star Troy Parrott will return to north London this summer after a £6.7million move. He leads the team with five goals this year, four of which came in one match; against Elfsborg he also scored the winner from the spot.

Parrott never quite lived up to the hype at Spurs, but it would be so fitting to see him return and make an impact like Marcus Edwards did a few seasons ago. However, AZ only managed 0.4 xG against Bilbao and do not expect to cause too many problems for the Tottenham defense. However, there are persistent faults that still need to be resolved, and the question is becoming increasingly difficult for a rotated back line likely to include the likes of Ben Davies, Archie Gray and Radu Dragusin, who returns from suspension.

Glass half full

The early days of the Europa League often feel more like an obligation than a joy, and the temptation is to fast-forward to the knockout rounds. That shouldn’t be the case this season, though, as Spurs (finally!) have the depth that makes swapping in reserves feel more like an opportunity than a dodge, and there are a few players up front in particular who could use some minutes.

My eyes are on Richarlison after the Brazilian returned from injury with a brief cameo on Saturday. He is clearly Dominic Solanke’s back-up, but there are still plenty of minutes to go and the Europa League is a place he can really enjoy. The supporting cast may be a step back from what he enjoyed last season, but he has a great chance to find the scoresheet against an overmatched side on Thursday.