Ange Postecoglou needs a stellar performance from his team as Tottenham Hotspur take on Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday.
Following a disappointing 1-0 loss to Bournemouth, Postecoglou had a heated exchange with Tottenham fans, increasing the pressure on him. A strong showing and positive result against Chelsea are crucial for the Spurs boss.
Injuries in defense have left Postecoglou with limited options, with Ben Davies joining the list of absentees. This poses a challenge as Tottenham faces one of the top teams in the league.
Here is a potential lineup for Tottenham’s upcoming match:
GK: Fraser Forster – Vicario’s absence remains frustrating for Spurs but the experienced Forster has done an admirable job since coming into the team. He made some impressive saves in defeat at the Vitality Stadium.
RB: Pedro Porro – Porro was only utilised from the bench against Bournemouth but will return to the starting lineup on Sunday. He will have to be switched on against the likes of Pedro Neto and Joao Felix.
CB: Cristian Romero – With Davies now injured, Spurs could use Romero. The World Cup winner is back in team training and could feature at the weekend, with Archie Gray on hand as an emergency option.
CB: Radu Dragusin – After another torrid outing for Dragusin midweek, the Romanian will retain his place in the starting XI through necessity only. He’s been unconvincing in the absence of Van de Ven.
LB: Destiny Udogie – Noni Madueke has been in impressive form for Chelsea and it will be Udogie’s task to keep the energetic Englishman quiet. Madueke scored and assisted against Southampton midweek and is one to watch this weekend. Notably, Udogie was sent off in this fixture last term.
CM: Dejan Kulusevski – Even the in-form Kulusevski was unable to unlock his usually high standards on the south coast. He could return to attacking midfield against Chelsea having turned out on the right flank on Thursday.
CM: Yves Bissouma – With Rodrigo Bentancur suspended, Bissouma has been the man anchoring the Spurs midfield in the Premier League recently. He will have his hands full trying to stifle the brilliant Cole Palmer.
CM: Pape Matar Sarr – The midfielder has played a lot of football in recent weeks and could be rested against Chelsea, even if there are a lack of impressive alternatives. If he starts, he must be more influential than he was against the Cherries.
RW: Brennan Johnson – The Welshman’s four-game scoring run came to a conclusion on Thursday in what was an uncharacteristically underwhelming display. Marc Cucurella will need to keep an eye on Johnson’s devilish back-post runs.
ST: Dominic Solanke – It’s easy to forget that Solanke was formerly a Chelsea player, even if he made just one senior appearance for the club. He would love to down his old side on Sunday after going the last four Spurs games without a goal.
LW: Son Heung-min – Son was surprisingly rested on the south coast, only entering the fray just before the hour mark. The South Korean’s record against Chelsea is surprisingly poor, with just two goals in 19 meetings. He hasn’t scored in this fixture since 2018.