Michael Dawson will make his first Tottenham Hotspur appearance since March in their Capital One Cup match with Carlisle United tonight.

Andre Villas-Boas indicated that the England defender could leave the club this summer but Dawson opted to stay and fight for his place at White Hart Lane.

The Portuguese has rested his two first-choice goalkeepers, Brad Friedel and Hugo Lloris, and instead selected Carlo Cudicini between the posts for the trip to Brunton Park.

Youngsters Adam Smith, Ryan Mason and Iago Falque also start for a much-changed Spurs, which includes Tom Huddlestone in midfield and summer signing Clint Dempsey up front.

The hosts are without cup-tied forward Joe Garner so Huddersfield Town loanee Kallum Higginbotham leads the line, with support from former Everton striker Danny Cadamarteri.

Spurs: Cudicini; Smith, Caulker, Dawson, Vertonghen; Townsend, Sigurdsson, Huddlestone, Mason, Falque; Dempsey

Carlisle: Gillespie; Simek, Robson, McGovern, Livesey; Murphy, Chantler, Thirlwell, Berrett; Cadamarteri, Higginbotham