Tottenham are back in Premier League action almost immediately, with selection calls now firmly in focus as Thomas Frank prepares his side for a demanding away test against Brentford. Let’s take a look at our predicted Tottenham XI to face the Bees.
Tottenham Hotspur are set to make a swift return to league action following their 1-0 win over Crystal Palace last weekend.
Spurs sit in 11th place in the Premier League table, four points off the top five and will be desperate to secure another win as they aim to close the gap on London rivals Chelsea.
However, standing in their way on Thursday night is an in-form Brentford side, fresh from a 4-1 thrashing of Bournemouth in the Premier League last weekend.
With suspended Romero back and Dragusin working his way to full fitness, Thomas Frank has a few selection decisions to make on Thursday, and we have now attempted to predict the Tottenham XI to take to the pitch.
Tottenham predicted XI vs Brentford in the Premier League
Goalkeeper – Guglielmo Vicario: The Italian earned himself a clean sheet last time out against Palace as he was barely troubled, and he will be hoping for more of the same against Brentford during the week.
Right-back – Pedro Porro: It was a solid defensive performance from the Spaniard, who stuck to his task last weekend while picking the right moments to bomb forward, and he should continue here.
Centre-back – Cristian Romero: Kevin Danso impressed and held his own against Jean-Philippe Mateta and company when he came in for Romero, but with the Argentine available for selection, we expect him to return to the starting XI.
Centre-back – Micky van de Ven: It was another strong defensive display from the Dutchman, who helped sweep things up against the Eagles, and he should keep his starting spot.
Left-back – Djed Spence: Tottenham still needs better balance down the left, but with Destiny Udogie out with a hamstring problem, Spence should retain his place.
Pivot midfielder – Rodrigo Bentancur: Frank is a coach who values a pivot midfielder, and so far this season, Bentancur has been his go-to man. We expect him to start once more.
Pivot midfielder – Joao Palhinha: The Portuguese has been left on the bench in recent outings due to Archie Gray’s impressive form, but we expect Palhinha to return to the Tottenham midfield.
Centre midfielder – Archie Gray: The youngster was the goalscorer against Crystal Palace while operating from the pivot; however, with Lucas Bergvall injured and Xavi Simons unavailable, we expect him to take up a more advanced role.
Right winger – Mohammed Kudus: The Ghana international has been a mainstay for Frank on the right, and we expect him to continue against Brentford.
Striker – Richarlison: He was unlucky not to score against Palace, with two efforts ruled out for offside, but he showed encouraging signs and should start here.
Left winger – Wilson Odobert: Muani does not suit Tottenham’s attack from the left at present, particularly with Spence behind him, given their tendency to cut inside. Odobert, however, adds a different dimension with his directness and should start after a bright cameo off the bench against Palace.