Tottenham Hotspur take on Arsenal this afternoon with Antonio Conte facing some difficult decisions as he prepares a starting lineup.
The international break has finally come to an end and Premier League action takes centre stage once again.
It’s an exciting start to the Premier League weekend as Tottenham make the short trip across North London.
Tottenham won the last meeting between the two sides with a 3-0 hammering of Arsenal in May.
Last season’s 3-1 defeat at Arsenal was a disaster though and Conte must avoid a similar outcome today.
Tottenham Hotspur predicted lineup v Arsenal
Hugo Lloris is Tottenham’s first-choice goalkeeper and unless there are any late injury or illness issues, the Frenchman should be starting today.
Eric Dier has been a mainstay in the heart of Tottenham’s back three and will likely start again today with Cristian Romero on the right side.
Ben Davies has been suffering with an injury of late and whilst he could be in the squad today, Clement Lenglet will surely start as the left-sided centre back.
Emerson Royal has featured in all seven of Tottenham’s Premier League games this season and is likely to start at right wing back once again.
Ivan Perisic is a big-game player and this seems like the right time to start him, giving him the nod over Ryan Sessegnon at left wing back.
Conte’s big decision is over whether to go with a 3-4-3 or a 3-5-2.
Dejan Kulusevski – hailed as the ‘real deal’ by Peter Crouch – has picked up a hamstring injury on international duty and Richarlison’s return from Brazil will have been long and arduous.
That means Conte may be tempted to go with a three-man midfield, bringing in Yves Bissouma to join Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Rodrigo Bentancur in the Tottenham engine room.
That would then leave Harry Kane and Son Heung-min as Tottenham’s front two with Richarlison available from the bench.
Richarlison would likely join Fraser Forster, Davinson Sanchez, Djed Spence, Matt Doherty, Sessegnon and even Bryan Gil as substitutes.
Predicted Tottenham Hotspur lineup: Lloris; Romero, Dier, Lenglet; Emerson, Bissouma, Bentancur, Hojbjerg, Perisic; Kane, Son.
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