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Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has said that the Premier League relegation battle takes priority over Thursday's UEFA Cup clash against Dinamo Zagreb.

Spurs have taken seven points from three games since Redknapp was appointed - but they are still bottom of the table and face a tough trip to Manchester City at the weekend.

"I would love to get to a cup final again, but getting Tottenham up the league to a respectable position is key as well," he said. "We've got a lot on our plate.

"Every game is big for us now - the league games coming up especially. It's so tight, there are 14 teams in a position where they will be looking over their shoulder worried at what is coming.

"I've never seen a tighter league and it may take more points than normal to stay up."

With the trip to City in mind, Ledley King will be rested and Jermaine Jenas may sit the Dinamo game out with his toe injury.

Jamie O'Hara, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Vedran Corluka will also be fresh for the weekend as they are unavailable to face the Croatia league leaders.

Youngster John Bostock is expected to be on the bench as the players frozen out by former boss Juande Ramos - Paul Stalteri, Hossam Ghaly, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Adel Taarabt and Ricardo Rocha - were not registered to play in Europe.

"I'd love to get him on the pitch," Redknapp said of Bostock. "He's only 16, a kid with terrific talent and a lovely left foot."

Bostock was controversially signed in the summer in a deal that could cost more than £2 million, leaving Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan furious. The 16-year-old has been billed as one of the brightest prospects in England.

"He is a special young player with terrific ability - how far he goes is up to him," Redknapp added. "With all young players it will be up to them how hard they want to work at their game.

"I'd love to get some of the youth team into the first team: that is the long-term aim."

Midfielder Luka Modric will put friendship aside when he faces his former club.

"I'm really glad to meet old friends," Modric said. "But I'm a professional and I will try to do my best to help Tottenham win."

Modric, 23, has been transformed since Redknapp's appointment and has vowed to repay the faith of the new boss, who wants to build a team around the Croatia playmaker.

Under Ramos, Modric looked overwhelmed by the English domestic game - but Redknapp has played him as a support striker in his first three games and noticed a difference.

Modric, who starred at Euro 2008, also wants to beef up his physique to cope with the pace of English football.

"In the future I will try to put on some weight and add strength but at the moment there are no problems with that," he said.

Sporting Life / Eurosport