View: Ange Postecoglou to make derby gamble with two changes – Tottenham predicted XI v Arsenal
On Sunday 24 September, it is the big one, the north London derby, as Arsenal host Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League.
Games don’t come much more important than this to either fanbase. Bragging rights are up for grabs as the clubs get set to meet in the first north London derby of the season, and after the Gunners claimed back-to-back victories over Spurs last year, Postecoglou will be desperate to write his name into Tottenham folklore with a win at the Emirates.
The game couldn’t be set up any better, with both teams enjoying unbeaten starts to the season after the first five games of the campaign. Nonetheless, as the old saying goes, form goes out of the window in a local derby.
It has been thirteen years since Tottenham tasted victory away to Arsenal in the league, and they have only won once at the ground in that time, a 2-0 League Cup victory in December 2018 – almost five years ago.
However, this is a Spurs side full of confidence, who will feel they can go to the Emirates and get a result after their last-gasp heroics at home against Sheffield United on Saturday 16 September. The dramatic comeback would have fired the players up and came at the perfect time in terms of the fixture schedule.
With that in mind, Tottenham News has taken a look ahead to the Premier League clash and predicted the players that will take to the field and look to score a monumental win.
Guglielmo Vicario will without a doubt start between the sticks. He is the club’s undisputed number one and even with Hugo Lloris named in the Premier League squad, the Frenchman was still unable to get a spot on the bench against the Blades last time out. Vicario has made the position his own, and after his passionate celebrations following Dejan Kulusevski’s last-minute winner, he will be buzzing to get his first taste of a north London derby.
Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven should start for the visitors in the heart of defence. The Argentinian was solid against Sheffield, making three tackles, winning three of his four ground duels and completing 90 per cent of his passes (Sofascore) and is arguably one of the first names, if not the first, on the team sheet, as he continues to build an impressive relationship with his Dutch centre-back partner.
Destiny Udogie could look to continue his fast start to life in the Premier League after another bright showing against Sheffield United, during which he made three tackles and three interceptions and won five of his six ground duels, while also completing 87 per cent of his passes.
Right-back is where Tottenham News predicts that Postecoglou will make one of his two changes.
Emerson Royal started and scored during the opening game of the season, a 2-2 draw at Brentford, yet since then it has been Pedro Porro who has locked down the position, starting the last four league games on the bounce. However, a trip to Arsenal is without a doubt Postecoglou’s most tricky test yet, and he might look to make some tactical tweaks.
Emerson is more suited to sitting in and soaking up pressure than Porro. As per fbref, last season the Brazillian made 1.97 tackles per 90 in the defensive third compared to Porro’s 0.64. With that in mind, Postecoglou might look to start Emerson on this occasion.
The midfield three will likely stay the same, with Yves Bissouma, in particular, impressing against Sheffield United, completing 88 per cent of his passes, with three of them being key, winning seven of his 12 ground duels, and completing 100 per cent of the dribbles he attempted, while also making a tackle and an interception. He will look to shine once again against Mikel Arteta’s men.
Meanwhile, James Maddison has scored in each of his last two away league games and will be looking to make it three in a row at the best place he possibly could.
Fresh off the winner against Sheffield United, Kulusevski will likely start on the right with his confidence riding high. It is the other two positions across the front three which could see some change.
Richarlison made quite the impact when he came on against Paul Heckingbottom’s side, scoring the equaliser before dramatically assisting Kulusevski for the winner. With that in mind, Spurs’ Australian head coach could look to bring the number nine into the starting lineup and allow him to build on his momentum.
This would see club captain Son Heung-min shifted to the left wing, which might be a wise idea considering his poor performance up front last time out when he managed just one shot on target and completed no dribbles.
In other Tottenham news, the club’s Under-21s made light work of Colchester United in the EFL Trophy.