Tottenham Hotspur might not be having the most convincing run, yet they are grinding out results by scripting late comebacks week in week out. The Lilywhites were losing 2-0 against Brentford on Boxing day for more than an hour, but they found the net twice in quick succession to finish it all square in West London.
This won’t please Antonio Conte though as the Lilywhites must get back to winning ways to stay relevant in the ‘top four’ race. They must aim for all three points on New Year’s day while locking horns with Aston Villa in their own backyard.
Villa, on the other hand, have revived their Premier League campaign under Unai Emery, until the last gameweek when they suffered a defeat against Liverpool at Villa Park. The bottom half of the table is quite congested and the Villans, therefore, must regroup themselves for the upcoming contest.
Predicted 3-4-3 Tottenham Hotspur Lineup To Face Aston Villa
Defence
Hugo Lloris was rested against the Bees following a busy World Cup campaign for France. But he is expected to return between the sticks and reclaim his ‘number 1’ status replacing Fraser Forster.
Conte, meanwhile, should stick to his famous ‘back three’ despite the vulnerabilities encountered in the recent fixtures. Cristian Romero is available again after winning the coveted World Cup crown for Argentina and the gaffer must restore him to deep defence in place of Japhet Tanganga. Eric Dier must operate centrally, whereas Clement Lenglet, who was impressive against Brentford, is expected to retain his starting status ahead of Ben Davies.
Midfield
The absence of Rodrigo Bentancur is a major blow for Tottenham Hotspur given his exquisite run of form in the middle of the park. But the North Londoners are well equipped in midfield with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Yves Bissouma likely to pull the strings centrally. Right wingback Matt Doherty must balance his game between defence and attack. Emerson Royal and Ryan Sessegnon must stay patient and wait for the opportunities down the flanks.
Attack
Richarlison’s injury is a major setback for Tottenham. Lucas Moura is still sidelined with a calf strain, but they have got an exceptional attacking third consisting of Son Heung-min, Dejan Kulusevski and Harry Kane. Young Harvey White and Bryan Gil should stay among the substitutes for this Villa tie.
