Tottenham Hotspur are back in action today, but face a torrid trip to relegation-threatened Everton under a floodlit Goodison Park.

With Cristian Stellini set to continue as manager in the permanent absence of Antonio Conte, and a philosophy expected to remain largely unchanged, there is hope from fans of the club that he can at least remove the reins from some of his elite players and allow them to flex their qualities.

For so long have they suffered from the turgid football of their Italian boss, forced to sit deep and absorb attacks from teams far worse than themselves.

It was this ideal that led to their late collapse against Southampton before the international break, as they invited pressure and inevitably crumbled.

There were positives to take from the game, however, as it finally saw the wingbacks click for what seemed like the first time in a while. Not only that but at times in the first half the football being played was mesmeric.

If Stellini can hone the positives from that display and cut out the negativity, there is a fine chance of a result on the road tonight. That begins with handing Ivan Perisic a start.

Will Ivan Perisic start vs Everton?

With Ben Davies having been struck down in that aforementioned clash with the Saints, there are few other options left to occupy that left wing-back spot.

However, that is not to suggest that the ageing Croatian has not played his way into the lineup on merit.

At St Mary's, both he and Pedro Porro struck their first goals for the club. However, for the 34-year-old, that was merely the tip of the iceberg when it came to his fine display. He also gave one key pass and attempted three shots, highlighting just how offensive he was playing.

What makes this move a masterclass was that the 6 foot 1 stalwart actually started the match on the bench, so to repeat this piece of tactical magic would be to instead hand him the chance to thrive from the start.

There are few players within the squad that boast the pedigree of Perisic, and as such he was lauded as a "world-class footballer" in his time by journalist Muhammad Butt. That is evidenced by the wide man having won the Champions League, reached the World Cup final and triumphed in a host of further domestic competitions in both Italy and Germany.

The £180k-per-week star will offer a cool head and a touch of class in their moment of crisis, as they travel to what is sure to be a bear pit of a stadium for the first time without Conte.

Spurs will have to lean heavily on their experienced men to drag them through tonight's fixture, with the wingbacks once again expected to play a vital role in any success they might attain.