"WE can beat Spurs," was the defiant message from Clarets skipper Steve Davis ahead of tonight's big Worthington Cup night at Turf Moor.

He knows the fans will have a big part to play if they are to upset the Premiership giants but admitted: "We have got to give them something to shout about. If we can do that, we know they will be right behind us."

With Ian Cox ruled out for a month with a hamstring injury, Davis may be forced to drop back into defence from the midfield position he has filled in recent weeks.

And he knows how important it is to not give anything away in the early stages, as they did at both Grimsby and Preston.

"I have got a big part to play either in the back four or in midfield," he said. "We have given some bad goals away but we should be defending as a team, from the front. We all want to start the game well but if we don't we have to make sure we don't concede.

"That is the important thing because if we go behind against Tottenham it will be very difficult to get back into the game.

"This match could be a turning point for us after three defeats. We have got to remember it was only a week ago that we had gone 12 unbeaten.

"But we have not got much pressure on us because if we win it is a cup shock, if we lose that is what was expected."

Robbie Keane is a fitness doubt but Davis knows that be it the Irishman or Teddy Sheringham or Les Ferdinand, the attacking threat from Spurs is obvious.

"I played against Robbie when he was at Coventry and he was very, very sharp," he said. "He is an exciting player. Sheringham's career speaks for itself, he has been outstanding and he is obviously still a fit bloke who gets into great positions.

"As for Les, I played on QPR's plastic pitch against him in a reserve match and he is another quality player. But they are a Premiership team, full of internationals and quality players.

"Tonight is a great chance for us to pit our wits against them and we are as excited as the fans. We think we can win it and I can guarantee we will give it a good go."