Postecoglou axes Davies in two changes – Tottenham predicted XI v Leicester
Ange Postecoglou could drop Ben Davies for the visit of Leicester City to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Premier League this weekend.
Spurs host the Foxes this Sunday (26 January) looking to double up on a much-needed 3-2 Europa League victory at Hoffenheim on Thursday night (23 January).
Davies and Brandon Austin are the two players Postecoglou may look to bring back out of the team with Djed Spence and Antonin Kinsky – both among those ineligible for Europe – who had to miss out in midweek, now aiming to return.
Tottenham could make two changes v Leicester
Postecoglou will be more relieved than he has let on with the win in southern Germany on Thursday evening – it could serve to bring huge morale to the squad and he will want to keep the bulk of that winning formula in the side.
With Kinsky not registered for this phase of the Europa League, Austin was drafted in against Hoffenheim but the January signing from Slavia Prague has made some smart saves during his limited time in the Premier League, also boasting a 79.2 per cent pass accuracy early doors which helps kickstart possession [Fotmob].
Spence is also mooted to return from the same European predicament, having impressed at left-back in recent weeks. It could see a return to central defence for Archie Gray alongside Radu Dragusin, with Pedro Porro at right-back and Davies dropping to the bench. It could be hard on the Welshman, who made 22 clearances and 17 defensive actions in Germany, but Spence has been one of the better performers in a difficult spell.
In midfield, Postecoglou should opt for the same three who started in Europe, with James Maddison slightly more advanced than the industrious Lucas Bergvall and the experienced Rodrigo Bentancur. Maddison opened the scoring inside three minutes on Thursday, created one of Son Heung-min’s brace and produced three key chances, outranking an xG and xA combined average of 1.23 in a superb display.
A three-pronged attack should again start and look to put a struggling Leicester to the sword. Ruud van Nistelrooy’s defence is already fragile without having to come up against Son as he ascends to his best form again. The captain’s two goals won the match on Thursday, and his 96 percent pass rate remained reliable. Richarlison did not have the best of nights in Germany but should again start in Dominic Solanke’s absence, while Dejan Kulusevski has been a beacon of strength in an ailing team this season.
In other Tottenham news, Newcastle United have drafted in stadium architects who worked on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
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