Tottenham Hotspur are set to face Aston Villa as Ange Postecoglou and the Lilywhites resume their FA Cup duties later today after falling out of their pursuit of Carabao Cup silverware in what was a 4-0 humbling in the second leg against Liverpool at Anfield Stadium earlier this week.
Now the pressure will be mounting on the Australian head coach to make something out of today’s game given that he faces the wrath of a probable sack complemented by the fact that the North Londoners season could be hanging by threads in the space of three days.
Going into the game, the lineup that Ange will have at his disposal will yet again be a thing of chatter among the supporters given how he has had to deal with a lot of makeshift changes this season owing to injuries.
Now when Tottenham lines up against Unai Emery’s Villans, this is how Ange can probably set up his side:
Goalkeeper: Antonin Kinsky
The winter signing has been a bit error-prone since moving to White Hart Lane, but given that Vicario is still recovering from ankle surgery, the Czech international will continue to start in goal. This is his opportunity to not only redeem himself after a few sketchy performances but also lay his mark as a competition for the 28-year-old former Empoli man rather than a mere backup.
Defence: Pedro Porro, Kevin Danso, Archie Gray, Djed Spence
Another winter signing is slotting right into the starting eleven, Kevin Danso; he should start beside Archie Gray at the heart of the defence. While Ange has Davies back in contention, the veteran has been underwhelming all season, and it makes sense to start Gray, who has been a breath of fresh air besides Danso, as Pedro Porro comes back into the lineup. And Djed Spence picks himself given how impressive he has been of late.
Midfield: Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Sarr, Lucas Bergvall
Pape Sarr has been a good anchor while Bentancur balances off with his passes and understanding of the game. This not only gives Tottenham the ability to control the game but also ensures that they counter Unai Emery’s side, given how potent they are with vertical passes between the lines. And to complement the aforementioned duo, Bergvall slots in. The Swede has shown glimpses of his potential at Hotspur Way already, and he should be in contention to impress playing in pockets yet again.
Forward: Dejan Kulusevski, Mathys Tel, Son Heung-min
Son looked like his old self against Liverpool, and the South Korean would be looking to inspire his side with a goal (or two) this weekend. Bayern Munich sensation Tel comes in for Richarlison, given how the Brazilian has returned from injury, and it would not be ideal for the former Everton ace to start consecutive games given his injury concerns. And perhaps the best player of Spurs season, Kulusevski, is starting on the right wing.
