WILLIAM Gallas is likely to take centre stage after Spurs were drawn against his former club Arsenal in Saturday s Carling Cup draw. Gallas has moved across north London after turning down a contract with the Gunners, and the arch-rivals will lock horns

WILLIAM Gallas is likely to take centre stage after Spurs were drawn against his former club Arsenal in Saturday's

Carling Cup draw.

Gallas has moved across north London after turning down a contract with the Gunners, and the arch-rivals will lock horns at White Hart Lane in the third round on Tuesday September 21.

Arsene Wenger has a history of blooding youngsters in the competition, but Harry Redknapp may also be tempted to field a weakened side in the wake of Spurs' Champions League qualification.

Niko Kranjcar said: "It's a derby game and obviously

everyone will be excited and prepared for that game.

"Who knows what sort of team we'll put out, I'm not the manager, but the big games keep coming and that's why we worked so hard last season - we wanted these challenges, and we've got to be prepared for them."

Tottenham have a strong pedigree in the Carling Cup, having lifted the trophy in 2008 before reaching the

final again in 2009, losing to

Manchester United in a penalty shoot-out.

The Lilywhites were eliminated by United again last season, bowing out 2-0 in the

quarter-finals at Old Trafford, and they face an early test against Arsenal this year.

The last time the sides met in this competition, Spurs triumphed 5-1 at the Lane in the second leg of the 2008 semi-final, and Tottenham were also victorious in the latest meeting, winning 2-1 in N17 back in April.