The absent players
Antonio Conte was always going to make a handful of changes for Tottenham's FA Cup fourth-round clash away at Preston North End. In the end, he opted for seven, with players such as Eric Dier, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Harry Kane dropping out of the team that won at Fulham on Monday evening.
While the aforementioned trio took their place on the substitutes' bench, a number of first-team regulars, including Hugo Lloris, were left out completely. Given the Frenchman has made a couple of errors between the sticks since returning from the World Cup, a break from action may do him the world of good.
