Mauricio Pochetino has hinted that winger Heung-min Son could start up front ahead of Vincent Janssen against CSKA Moscow.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino celebrates
Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has told the London Evening Standard that he could start Heung-min Son up front against CSKA Moscow instead of Vincent Janssen.
Spurs head into Tuesday’s Champions League game against CSKA in fine form, having beaten Middlesbrough 2-1 on Saturday afternoon to stretch their unbeaten league run to six games.
Tottenham’s Son Heung-min celebrates scoring
The hero at the Riverside Stadium was winger Heung-min Son, who kept up his recent purple patch by scoring twice in the first 25 minutes to hand Spurs all three points.
South Korean international Son had been heavily linked with a summer move away from the club after a hit-and-miss first season at White Hart Lane, but he chose to stay – and that decision has paid dividends.
Having lost their first Champions League game of the season with a 2-1 defeat to Monaco, Spurs need to beat CSKA to kickstart their campaign, but will again be without injured striker Harry Kane.
Tottenham’s Vincent Janssen
Kane’s ankle injury means that Vincent Janssen started against Middlesbrough, and had been expected to continue up front against CSKA – but that may not be the case in what would be a surprise move.
Speaking to the London Evening Standard ahead of Tuesday’s clash, Pochettino suggested that Son could in fact be handed an unexpected start up front ahead of Janssen, despite the Dutchman being more of a natural fit leading the line.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino
“I am happy with him and he is happy with the last few games,” said Pochettino when asked about Son. “He is scoring and playing very well and I am happy with his performances in the last few games.”
“It’s one possibility to play with him up front but we have Vincent Janssen too. Both have the possibility to play tomorrow – Vincent or him,” he added.
Son played the occasional game up front last season and didn’t really impress, so Spurs fans may prefer to see him stay out wide and leave Janssen up front as he chases his first Tottenham goal from open play.
With the weekend clash against Manchester City also in mind, Pochettino will want to keep Son’s form going but also be wary of overworking him, which may only be worsened by him playing up front on his own away in Russia.
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