Tottenham Hotspur will restart their Premier League campaign when they host Crystal Palace at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday. The hosts will be desperate for a win following a turbulent start to the campaign that saw them collect only six points from their first four matches.
Here is how Mauricio Pochettino’s men could line up against the Eagles this weekend.
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Defence
Pochettino will continue to miss out on the services of Kyle Walker-Peters, which means Davinson Sanchez is likely to retain his role at right-back, despite a below-par display against Arsenal. Danny Rose, meanwhile, is a guaranteed starter on the opposite flank, ahead of Ben Davies.
Jan Vertonghen played his first game of the season against Arsenal in the last game. He is expected to form the central defensive pairing alongside compatriot Toby Alderweireld. These two players will need to be on their toes when dealing with the physically imposing Palace attack.
Hugo Lloris is the undisputed number one goalkeepers for Tottenham Hotspur, and the Frenchman should retain his place in between the sticks, ahead of Paul Gazzaniga.
Midfield
Spurs have been dealt with a fresh injury with Giovani Lo Celso out until October. Added to that, another new signing Tanguy Ndombele is likely to miss as well due to a thigh problem. The absence of these two players could be a massive blow for Pochettino.
Harry Winks is a guaranteed starter in central midfield. The young midfielder will be partnered by Moussa Sissoko in the double-pivot. Deploying Christian Eriksen in the number eight role is also an option, but Pochettino is unlikely to exercise that possibility.
Eric Dier, however, will once again have to settle for a place on the bench. Same can be said for Victor Wanyama and Oliver Skipp.
Attack
Dele Alli’s return to full fitness could be a massive boon for the club. The England international is expected to operate as the lone attacking midfielder, with Eriksen settling for a wide attacking role. These two players will be in charge of providing the creative essence in the final third.
Son Heung-Min, meanwhile, will operate as the right-sided winger. But, the South Korean international could shift into a central role and spearhead the Tottenham attack, alongside Harry Kane.
