Nuno Espirito Santo explained that he gave teenage striker Dane Scarlett a specific task in Tottenham's Europa Conference League game against Vitesse.
With the Tottenham starting XI that played against Newcastle United left at home and rested, including striker Harry Kane, that means 17-year-old forward Scarlett gets the nod in the Netherlands.
He will come up against a Vitesse back three that has at its centre Riechedly Bazoer, normally a midfielder, and Spurs head coach Espirito Santo has admitted that Scarlett will be asked to make things difficult for the 25-year-old Dutchman to bring the ball out from the back.
"It's the shape. It's a player who was in midfield and now he's in a back three. He has different characteristics. He likes to go with the ball and progress through the lines," the Tottenham boss told BT Sport.
"We have to be ready. The player in charge of doing that task is going to be Dane. I think he's ready to do it."
When asked what his message to the players was before the kick-off, he added: "To compete, to compete. It's going to be a tough game. Vitesse are a good team. We have to be focused and compete well."
Espirito Santo was also asked what his pre-match ritual is ahead of games and whether he can relax and have a coffee when he first arrives at the stadium.
"Thinking about the game. Is there anything more that I can do? All these things that normally a manager does," he said.
"No we cannot relax. Now I go inside. No [time for coffee], we have to be focused and try to pass all the details that have on what can happen in the game, all the circumstances that can happen and enjoy it."
