It’s win or bust for Spurs, admits Dier

TOTTENHAM take on PSV in Eindhoven tonight knowing defeat will plunge this Champions League campaign into crisis. It may not spell the end but since the format changed in 2003-04, none of 41 teams without a point after three group games has reached the knockout phase of the competition. ‘We have to win every game, that’s the mentality now,’ said Spurs midfielder Eric Dier. ‘Our backs are against the wall. We are going to have to get ourselves out of it.’ Dier turned to the lessons of last year for inspiration. Tottenham took four points from Real Madrid and won their group, then promptly crashed out against Juventus as Real recalibrated and went on to win the crown. ‘We can learn from what happened with Real Madrid,’ said Dier. ‘I’m not saying we’re going to get out of the group and win the Champions League, but they had a very difficult time to get out of our group and ended up going on to win it. ‘The most important thing for us is to stay calm. To keep believing that it’s possible.’ Dele Alli has not travelled to Eindhoven as he continues his fitness work after a hamstring injury, with his eyes on a return against Manchester City on Monday. Danny Rose and Jan Vertonghen are also injured. PSV, like Spurs, are pointless in Group B although rampant in the Dutch league, with nine wins out of nine, 36 goals scored and only three conceded. Tottenham, meanwhile, have warned the 2,000 fans expected to travel to be vigilant amid warnings from the Met Police and Dutch authorities, who fear a repeat of the disturbances which marred a UEFA Cup tie between the clubs in 2008.