Tottenham Hotspur have a perfect opportunity to see exactly what Troy Parrott can do when they take on Middlesbrough in the FA Cup on Sunday.
On Wednesday, of course, Spurs lost 1-0 to Southampton in a disappointing performance in the Premier League.
Perhaps most dispiriting, though, was the injury sustained by striker Harry Kane. Attempting to smack the ball home after a chipped through ball, the England international immediately felt his hamstring and had to be substituted for Erik Lamela.
One has to believe, then, that Kane will be out of action this weekend as Jose Mourinho’s men take on the Championship club in the third round.
Of course, Spurs should be wary about completely ripping up the starting XI but this is a fine chance to give Parrott something of an audition.
The 17-year-old has made two senior appearances for the club, playing 66 minutes in the EFL Cup against Colchester United and then coming on as a substitute versus Burnley in the Premier League, playing a total of five minutes.
It appeared that he would get a chance against Bayern Munich in a Champions League dead rubber, with Kane left out by the former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss.
The big fat Tottenham quiz of 2019 – how much do you remember about the last year at Spurs?
However, he did not play a single minute in Germany and this is perhaps a lower-pressure environment for the senior Republic of Ireland international to play in.
He has been prolific at youth level for Spurs, scoring 17 goals in 14 outings for the U18s and four in 13 for the U23s. He even scored four goals in a 9-2 UEFA Youth League thumping of Red Star Belgrade.
Bringing him into the fold here not only gives him the match practice that he requires at senior level, but it allows him the chance to show Mourinho exactly what he can do alongside Spurs’ more familiar stars.
If it doesn’t work, he is merely restored to the youth teams; if it does, he can provide an option in the first XI.
It is, quite simply, a win-win.
Meanwhile, one Spurs ace was in terrible form against Southampton.
