Lucas Bergvall backed for position change at Tottenham ahead of Aston Villa clash
Lucas Bergvall could see his position shifted for Tottenham Hotspur's all-important Premier League showdown with Aston Villa on Sunday.
The Swedish international is typically a central midfielder, but he has shown an ability to play in more advanced areas, or further back, so far in North London.
Roberto De Zerbi may have to come up with an interesting solution, with Xavi Simons out for the season and Dominic Solanke expected to be absent against Unai Emery's side.
Spurs need to win, as they are two points behind West Ham, and sit 18th in the Premier League table with only four games left to play.
Bergvall could come back into the Tottenham team in a new role when they travel to Villa Park on 3 May.
What new role could Bergvall have in Aston Villa vs Tottenham?
John Wenham has backed Bergvall to switch to the left wing or number 10 role for Tottenham in the contest.
Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, the Spurs expert said: "That front three for Aston Villa, I'd imagine, of Randal Kolo Muani off the right, Richarlison through the middle and Mathys Tel off the left.
"The other option could be that Lucas Bergvall could play off the left, or in the number 10 role.
"He has grit and determination to drive forward, and I think he could have some joy doing so from there."
Could Bergvall succeed on the left or in the 10?
The numbers suggest that the 20-year-old could succeed in the proposed new role for De Zerbi's side.
According to data from Sofascore, he completes 61 per cent of his dribbles, which would be handy from the flanks.
Bergvall averages 0.5 shots per game and 6.6 passes in the opposition half, which could suit him well if he were on the wing for the clash.
One area where he would have to improve is crossing, as he completes just 16 per cent of his attempts to find a teammate in those situations.
| Bergvall's stats this season | Premier League |
| Dribble success | 61% |
| Shots per game | 0.5 |
| Passes in opposition half (average) | 6.6 |
| Cross attempts success | 16% |
| Lost possession (average) | 6.1 |
He loses possession 6.1 times per game, which would also have to be better if he were in the 10 role or on the left.
However, he could well thrive there, as he has shown that he can adapt before, and he could add another string to his bow against the Villans.
Either way, it's crunch time for Tottenham, who must keep picking up positive results.