Tottenham Hotspur will be hoping to maintain their push for European football later today and have a fine opportunity to gain precious ground as they travel to face Aston Villa in the Premier League.
A crucial win would open up a vital six-point gap between them and Unai Emery's plucky outfit, who have defied all the odds this campaign to turn a relegation threat into a European promise.
However, should the hosts instead claim victory, they would move level with Ryan Mason's side, making for a nervy conclusion to what has been a tough season.
What will give the young caretaker manager confidence is that he did recently manage to claim his first victory since taking charge of the dugout, squeezing past Crystal Palace 1-0.
This came after two equally spirited displays in which his side battled back from first 2-0 down against Manchester United, and then 3-0 down at Liverpool. Unfortunately, only one of these merited a point.
Despite that, it feels like at last the players are fighting for the badge, with today's game proving a vital test to prove whether they have found consistency too. However, what will worry fans and staff alike is Clement Lenglet's fitness, after he was forced off in that win over the Eagles.
Although it has since been revealed to only be a minor muscle injury, it could prove enough to see the Frenchman reduced to a spot on the bench. If so, that would leave Eric Dier as the man to reluctantly take his place.
Will Eric Dier play vs Aston Villa?
It was no shock correlation that the England international, who has featured in all but two of their league games this season, was not a starter in their first victory since they narrowly defeated Brighton and Hove Albion in early April.
The £85k-per-week dud has endured a personally trying campaign which has garnered particular scrutiny of late, however the most scathing arguably came from pundit Frank McAvennie back in 2021, who branded him "awful" and "nowhere near" good enough for the Lilywhites.
More recently it has been Alan McInally's turn to lambast the 29-year-old, claiming that Antonio Conte would have a "big problem defensively" if he was to continue using Dier as a centre-back.
His 6.86 average rating is perhaps flattering to just how poor he has been this year, having endured a 6.3 rating or lower the last three games that he has started, to more accurately outline his wailing contribution.
Given the electric form of his direct opponent today in Ollie Watkins, who boasts 14 goals and six assists this season, supporters will surely be petrified at the thought of the relentless striker terrorising Dier all afternoon as their European dreams potentially slip away but it seems that Mason likely has no other choice.
