After losing 2-1 at home against Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur are looking to end their three-match losing streak in the Premier League when they travel to take on Manchester City. In this battle between two top-five clubs, Last Word on Football predicts who will take the pitch for the Lilywhites at the Etihad Stadium.
Tottenham Hotspur Predicted Lineup
— Tottenham Hotspur (@Spurs_PT) December 2, 2023
How Tottenham Have Lined Up Recently
Despite letting in eight goals over the last three games, Vicario is a lock to start for the foreseeable future. The Italian will have his hands full playing against a Pep Guardiola side that has scored the most goals in the Premier League this season.
In defence, Emerson Royal made a start at Centre-back, overtaking veteran Eric Dier for the starting job. Although it makes sense for the Brazilian to stay in that position to form some consistency, it is also logical to put in the Englishman as he is better in the air. Either way, they will have a difficult task in trying to minimise the threat of Erling Haaland.
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For the midfield, Yves Bissouma will make his return from suspension, which will come just in time after the unfortunate injuries of Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr. The Mali International, known for his “grace under pressure” will have to perform at his best to help his club get a positive result.
Ange Postecoglou made an unexpected move up top against the villains when he gave Bryan Gil his first start of the season. However, the Australian manager noted in his last press conference that there were moments during that match where his team played “some fantastic football“. The Spaniard could start again alongside Captain Son Heung-min, Dejan Kulusevski, and Brennan Johnson.
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Changes We May See
There is a chance – we see Dier come in to replace Emerson Royal, but the other pieces of the backline will likely stay the same. The midfield and attack could look different depending on what style of play Postecoglou decides on. While it is almost certain that Yves Bissouma will return to the starting eleven – it is unclear whether there will be two holding midfielders or three.
If the Australian manager decides on a more defensive approach, Højbjerg could get the nod. On the contrary, Gil might be rewarded – for his performance against Unai Emery’s team with a second consecutive start.
Injuries to Consider
The long-term injuries – of James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Ivan Perisic – will make them miss games for the next few weeks. At the same time, Richarlison, Ryan Sessegnon, Manor Solomon, and Pape Matar Sarr will also be absent for this match.
Tottenham Predicted Lineup
Vicario, Porro, Royal, Davies, Udogie, Bissouma, Lo Celso, Gil, Johnson, Kulusevski, Son
