Tottenham Hotspur are set to return to Premier League action this weekend with Aston Villa visiting north London, and Thomas Frank faces some tough calls as he looks to name his strongest possible starting eleven. Let’s take a look at our predicted Tottenham XI to face Aston Villa.
The international break is now firmly behind us, with focus shifting back to club football, as Tottenham Hotspur prepare to take on Aston Villa in the Premier League.
Several Spurs players impressed while away on international duty, showing flashes of quality and confidence that Frank will hope to see carried into domestic action.
The Tottenham boss will now be looking for his side to find rhythm and consistency, with the season beginning to take shape and early momentum proving vital.
With Villa set to visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in matchweek eight, we have now attempted to predict how Frank could set up his team for this crucial fixture.
Predicted Tottenham XI to face Aston Villa
Goalkeeper – Guglielmo Vicario: The Italian has received plenty of criticism in recent weeks after a few costly errors in the league, but underlying stats continue to place Vicario amongst the best in his position. Despite some fans calling for Vicario to be dropped, we expect Frank to keep faith with the 29-year-old.
Right-back – Pedro Porro: There should be no rotation at full-back for this fixture, and Porro, who impressed for Spain against Georgia, is expected to start on the right.
Centre-back – Cristian Romero: The Spurs captain featured for ninety minutes for Argentina and returned early, which should see him ready to start against Villa.
Centre-back – Micky van de Ven: The Dutchman showed his versatility during the international break by playing at left-back for the Netherlands, but while that remains an option for Frank, we expect him to feature in his usual centre-back role.
Left-back – Destiny Udogie: The Italian full-back did not feature for his national team and should be fresh for this one, with Djed Spence likely to drop to the bench.
Pivot midfielder – Joao Palhinha: The Portuguese midfielder has impressed since his move to north London and is currently one of the most in-form players under Frank, so he should retain his spot.
Centre midfielder – Lucas Bergvall: The young Swede missed a golden opportunity while on international duty with Sweden and will be determined to make amends with a strong performance.
Centre midfielder – Pape Matar Sarr: Xavi Simons started in the number ten role against Leeds United in the Premier League, but we expect Frank to go with Sarr in midfield to maintain solidity.
Right winger – Mohammed Kudus: The Ghanaian has quickly become one of Tottenham’s most influential players, and after scoring his first goal against Leeds United, he should keep his place in the starting lineup.
Striker – Richarlison: Mathys Tel certainly has a strong case for a start, given his recent scoring form, but Frank could well stick with Richarlison to lead the line.
Left winger – Xavi Simons: Although he started centrally against Leeds United, Simons could be deployed on the left flank for this one, adding creativity and energy from wide areas.
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