BBC pundit wants Emerson Royal axed for Tottenham clash v Man City

We’re delighted to welcome former Scotland right-back Alan Hutton as our exclusive columnist as each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium…

Emerson Royal should drop out of the starting XI to face Manchester City on Sunday (3 December) but Yves Bissouma has to come straight back in for Tottenham, says ex-Spurs defender Alan Hutton.

Full-back Emerson was chosen to play in central defence alongside another makeshift centre-back in Ben Davies as Spurs fell to a 2-1 defeat at home to Aston Villa last Sunday (26 November).

Spurs are short on options at the back with Micky van de Ven injured and Cristian Romero suspended for one more game, but it was a bit of a surprise that Eric Dier was omitted from the line-up.

Bissouma was also suspended against Villa, and Hutton - who acknowledged that a growing injury list means there unlikely to be wholesale changes made by Ange Postecoglou - wants the Mali midfielder to come in, while he would also take out Emerson.

Speaking to Tottenham News, he said: "You've got the likes of Skipp, Hojbjerg, you've got to think (Giovani) Lo Celso will keep his place. I don't think there's a whole lot he can do.

"I mean does Dier come back in? I don't think Emerson Royal will be playing at centre-half - that doesn't do it for me at all. I don't really know why that situation arises unless he just feels he can give him something different but I don't think there's a lot of room for movement.

"Bissouma will come straight back in and then you look at is maybe Hojbjerg gonna play? He sometimes plays Skipp so other than the likes of Bissouma, a suspension coming back, there's not a whole host of changes you can make especially going into a game of that magnitude.

"You're three defeats on the bounce and when you're going to Man City the next game, it doesn't look great. You would think Man City would come out on top so it's a difficult period for Ange Postecoglou.

"He's not had this, they were unbeaten in their first 10 games, now lost their last three going into the City game, the pressure is obviously mounting after a great start."

In other Tottenham news, the £200,000-per-week conundrum that could scupper a reunion for Ange Postecoglou in January.