Van de Ven will return for Tottenham’s clash with Arsenal
Tottenham Hotspur were beaten by Newcastle United in their third Premier League match of the season. While being outplayed on the transition, a physical and composed presence in defence would have helped with Micky van de Ven missing at St. James’ Park.
The defender was absent for the clash against the Magpies having picked up a minor strain against Everton on the second matchday. However, he will be back for the North London Derby against Arsenal once the international break is over, BBC Sport has reported.
Van de Ven has avoided a major injury and as a precautionary measure, he has even pulled out of the Dutch national side’s Nations League fixtures against Bosnia and Germany.
The prospect of his return comes as very good news for the Lilywhites, not only because his absence was felt in the defeat at Newcastle but because of the offensive threat Arsenal pose.
The Gunners are a very dynamic attacking unit under Mikel Arteta and although Radu Dragusin would have been trusted if Van de Ven was not available, the 23-year-old’s availability makes life a bit easier for Ange Postecoglou.
He will likely be tasked with keeping Kai Havertz at bay in the box after the German international has started the season in reasonably good form for the title challengers.
While Romero has a solid physical presence, Van de Ven’s distribution of the ball also helps Spurs play out from the back efficiently and it will be a particularly important facet when they have possession against Arsenal.
When playing a team that is adept at zonal marking, having good passers of the ball in every department is crucial and Van de Ven is arguably Spurs’ best option in the defensive third.
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And though he will be available when Tottenham take on Arsenal, Postecoglou will breath a huge sigh of relief that he has averted a major injury after showing signs of fatigue initially in the season.
