Tottenham Hotspur must get a result against Everton on Sunday if they are to secure their Premier League status, and we have now put together the starting XI we want to see Roberto De Zerbi field.
The battle to avoid relegation to the Championship is now set to go to the final day of the season after Tottenham Hotspur’s latest 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge.
That match was not without controversy, but Spurs must now put it behind them and focus on their next league outing.
Up next is an out-of-form Everton side, who are winless in their last five league matches, picking up just two points from a possible 15.
For Spurs, the task remains the same as it was against Chelsea – secure a point, and they are safe. This time, however, there is added jeopardy, as defeat coupled with a West Ham United win will send Tottenham down to the Championship.
Such is the magnitude of the task ahead for Tottenham that Roberto De Zerbi has labelled the game against Everton as bigger than the Europa League final.
The Italian, however, must get his selection right if Spurs are to stand any chance of walking away with a result, and we have now named the Tottenham XI we want to see on Sunday evening.
Tottenham XI vs Everton should see James Maddison and Djed Spence start
The defence is absolutely crucial for Tottenham in this game, and De Zerbi will be faced with a dilemma.
The Italian could simply opt to keep things tight at the back, defend in a low block and secure a 0-0 draw, which would be enough for Spurs to preserve their Premier League status for next season.
Going with a back five, therefore, becomes an option for De Zerbi, but we do not expect that. Instead, we want to see Spurs approach this game in a balanced fashion – not too defensive, but still solid at the back while carrying an attacking threat.
That would mean De Zerbi lines up with the same back four as usual, using Pedro Porro, Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso and Destiny Udogie. Antonin Kinsky should remain between the sticks despite Guglielmo Vicario returning to contention.
Shielding the back four, we would like to see a slight tweak in personnel. In recent outings, both Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha have filled the holding midfield role.
However, against Everton, we think Spurs should drop the Portuguese midfielder and move Conor Gallagher deeper.
Palhinha did not look at his best against Chelsea last time out, reacting too slowly to close down Enzo Fernandez for the goal from the edge of the box.
Spurs attack needs fresh energy against Everton
As for the front four, we want to see wholesale changes in personnel in that area of the pitch for Tottenham.
For one, we would like to see James Maddison return from the start after two cameo appearances off the bench since his comeback against Leeds United.
De Zerbi has already hinted that Maddison’s minutes need to be managed, given he is only just returning from an ACL injury. That means, should he start, he will most likely be withdrawn early, and that is something we can live with.
Spurs simply need creativity, and Maddison brings exactly that. If Tottenham can start quickly and capitalise on his presence, they could perhaps grab a couple of goals.
The other change we would like to see in the attack is Randal Kolo Muani dropped from the starting XI. Against Chelsea, he offered very little going forward on the right for Spurs.
Muani’s display left several fans frustrated, with many calling for him never to start another game for Tottenham. Replacing him will not be easy, but deploying Djed Spence on the right wing could be a solution worth trying.
When the full-back came on down the left last time out, he looked sharp and should be capable of helping out in the wide areas again on Sunday.
Joining him in attack should be Richarlison and Mathys Tel, who are the only other natural attackers left available in the Spurs squad.
In all, this is the Tottenham XI we want to see: Antonin Kinsky; Pedro Porro, Kevin Danso, Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie; Rodrigo Bentancur, Conor Gallagher, James Maddison (first 45 minutes); Djed Spence, Richarlison, Mathys Tel.
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