Glenn Hoddle has claimed that Richarlison doesn’t start for Tottenham Hotspur ahead of their Premier League showdown against Chelsea on Sunday.
The Spurs legend added that Richarlison ‘has to find a way’ to break into Antonio Conte’s XI, after they started the new campaign with a 4-1 win over Southampton – he was suspended for that match.
Whilst Harry Kane and Son Heung-min didn’t score or assist over the weekend, no-one in the team is getting ahead of the record-breaking duo, regardless of what form they would be in.
But the one chance Richarlison has to earn starts is ahead of January signing Dejan Kulusevski, but the issue facing the 25-year-old is that he is performing as well as Kane and Son.
Over the weekend, he picked off from his last season’s heroics by scoring and assisting during the game, as Conte’s side came from behind to seal a comprehensive three points against the Saints.
Now, it’s a trip to Stamford Bridge this weekend and Richarlison will return to the squad that will make the short trip across London, but Hoddle doesn’t think he gets thrown straight in, as he told Premier League Productions.
“Not at the moment, Richarlison doesn’t replace anybody,” said Hoddle. “I think that team (that played against Southampton) will start at Chelsea.
“They have earned the right for that. Eventually, Richarlison has got to find a way and it’s up to him now. He’s outside looking in. He wasn’t even on the bench because he was suspended (against Southampton).
“But he’s thinking to himself ‘I can’t wait to get out there and play, no disrespect to Everton, with better players and I will become better’.
“However, his standards now have to be consistent levels, they have to be right up there and Conte has done this in a very short period of time. The players he has brought into Tottenham and they are all going to improve that XI. They will be eight or nine out of ten.
“And now there is competition, which makes it exciting times for Tottenham going forward.”
CAN TOTTENHAM END THEIR BARREN RUN AGAINST CHELSEA?
It’s only the second week of the new season, but it already feels like a big game has arrived, with Chelsea and Spurs set to lock horns at Stamford Bridge.
Last season, Thomas Tuchel’s men had the number over their rivals, beating them home and away in the Premier League, as well as knocking them out of the League Cup.
But, Conte is now settled, he has different members in his XI and a number of current stars are far more settled under this new system.
Not forgetting that he has a much stronger bench that might include the likes of Lucas Moura, Yves Bissouma and Richarlison.
Either way, it’s set to be a mouthwatering affair and one that could have a big impact on the winning team going forward.
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