Here is how Tottenham could line up (predicted lineup) against Crystal Palace at home.
Thursday night football returns to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as Tottenham Hotspur take on Crystal Palace in a crucial Premier League encounter.
Igor Tudor has lost back-to-back games as the interim Spurs head coach. The Croat’s side were second best in every department in the 2-1 away defeat to Fulham on Sunday. The Cottagers were all over Tottenham in the first half and deserved to hold a 2-0 advantage. Tudor’s side improved a bit after the interval and halved the deficit via Richarlison, but it was not enough in the end.
Having lost consecutive London derbies, the Lilywhites will try everything possible not to get humbled by another cross-town adversary. Crystal Palace are the next visitors, and despite them going 2-1 down to Manchester United at the weekend, they have the quality to sting Tottenham and compound more misery on Tudor.
That said, here is the predicted Tottenham lineup for their upcoming clash against Crystal Palace:
Goalkeeper: Guglielmo Vicario
Desperate for a clean sheet, Tottenham will need Guglielmo Vicario to be at his best in goal. His form has been up and down all season, just like the majority of his teammates. A bit of consistency during the critical juncture of the campaign should massively help the team.
Defence: Kevin Danso, Radu Dragusin, Micky van de Ven
Tudor’s decision to change from his favoured back-three system to a flat back four on Sunday raised a lot of eyebrows within the fanbase. The move did not work out, and Tottenham lost. Reverting to a back three would attract a lot of headlines, but as this system has been extensively used by him during his managerial career, there are chances of getting a result by sticking to his philosophy instead of chopping and changing in every game.
In a possible back-three system, Kevin Danso, Radu Dragusin and Micky van de Ven should occupy the centre-back slots. Danso’s inclusion in the side would give Tottenham’s defence much-needed physicality, while his long throws could become a weapon during set-plays too. Tudor will hope his centre-backs keep their focus throughout the 90 minutes and manage to nullify the Crystal Palace forwards.
Midfield: Pedro Porro, Joao Palhinha, Yves Bissouma, Archie Gray
Pedro Porro was put straight back in the first XI against Fulham after recovering from a hamstring injury, and he will retain his spot but as a wing-back in this fixture. Archie Gray, who assisted Richarlison’s goal on Sunday, will occupy the left wing-back slot, with Djed Spence suffering a minor calf injury last week.
Porro and Spence have to get the better of Palace’s wing-backs- Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell- and provide their team with stability in both halves. In midfield, Joao Palhinha will form the double pivot with Yves Bissouma. Given how leaky Tottenham’s defence has been, Tudor may look to play two holding midfielders and sacrifice the adventurous Conor Gallagher from the XI.
Attack: Richarlison, Xavi Simons, Randal Kolo Muani
Richarlison came off the bench and scored against Fulham, but it turned out to be a mere consolation for Tottenham. Given the fight and impact he showed as a substitute, Tudor could hand Richy a start up top with Randal Kolo Muani.
Xavi Simons has barely had an impact in the last two games. This presents an opportunity for the diminutive playmaker to influence the hosts’ attacks and play incisive passes in the final third for Richy and Kolo Muani to attack. Dominic Solanke and Mathys Tel will be good options to bring off the bench if the Lilywhites are chasing the game.