Paul Merson has claimed that Tottenham Hotspur are a better team when Dejan Kulusevski plays ahead of Richarlison.
The Brazil international became Spurs’ all-time record signing this past summer when he joined for £60 million from Everton.
However, the former Toffee has occasionally struggled to play regularly under Antonio Conte, who has only started him in three of Tottenham’s seven Premier League outings this season.
Kulusevski has been getting the nod more often than not but, with the Sweden international sidelined through injury, Richarlison is likely to start more games until the Juventus loanee is available again.
However, Merson feels that the North Londoners are a much stronger unit when the South American attacker is benched and then comes on as a substitute.
He told Sportskeeda: “Dejan Kulusevski has been a big miss for Tottenham, they are a much better team when he plays.
“Richarlison has had a decent start to life at his new club, but with all due respect to him, Spurs look much better with Kulusevski on the pitch and Richarlison coming on to run at tired legs.”
It doesn’t matter a whole bunch who is the better player for Spurs.
The bottom line is that Conte has ridiculous depth in that position and the Italian manager can and has rotated the pair for much of the campaign, even if Kulusevski has played more often.
But football is about taking opportunities and if Richarlison – who earns £133,000 per week [The Mirror] – can capitalise on his teammate’s injury then the former Everton attacker will be the one who has to be dislodged going forward, rather than the other way around.
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