Thomas Frank will be aiming for the perfect start to his Tottenham tenure when his side welcomes newly promoted Burnley to north London on Saturday afternoon. Let’s take a look at our predicted Tottenham XI to face Burnley.
Thomas Frank will be hoping his Tottenham Hotspur side can get their Premier League campaign off to a perfect start against newly promoted Burnley on Saturday afternoon, with a victory.
Scott Parker’s men, on the other hand, will be aiming to cause an upset when they visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, seeking a first Premier League victory over Tottenham since 2022.
With Spurs having already contested the UEFA Super Cup just days before their league opener, there will be plenty of attention on Frank’s starting XI for Saturday’s clash, and we have taken a closer look at how they might line up.
Here is our predicted Tottenham XI for the Premier League opener against Burnley.
Predicted Tottenham XI vs Burnley in the Premier League
Goalkeeper – Guglielmo Vicario: The Italian shot-stopper looks set to keep hold of the number one spot for now, having started the last two matches, including the Super Cup final.
Right-back – Pedro Porro: Last time out, Frank deployed Porro as a wing-back, underlining just how crucial the Spaniard is to his system. We fully expect him to retain his place on Saturday regardless of the formation.
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Centre-back – Cristian Romero: The new Tottenham captain should lead Spurs out in front of a packed home crowd.
Centre-back – Micky van de Ven: The Dutchman had a mixed outing against PSG, opening the scoring in the Thomas Frank era before seeing his penalty saved in the shootout. Still, he is expected to partner Romero in a back four.
Left-back – Djed Spence: The Englishman may well continue on the left side of defence, as it remains unclear whether Destiny Udogie is fully match fit.
Pivot midfielder – Joao Palhinha: The Portuguese international is beginning to show his importance in the holding role. He logged a solid 60-plus minutes against PSG and should start again.
Pivot midfielder – Archie Gray: This could be one match too many for Rodrigo Bentancur, who has played over an hour in each of the last two fixtures. We expect the Uruguayan to be rested, with Gray stepping in.
Attacking midfielder – Lucas Bergvall: With no new arrivals in the number ten role, makeshift options remain the order of the day, and Bergvall is expected to get the nod.
Right midfielder – Brennan Johnson: Tottenham’s top scorer in the Premier League last season will be eager to get off the mark after not featuring in the Super Cup final.
Striker – Richarlison: The Brazilian produced a much-improved display against PSG, leading the line effectively during his time on the pitch. Frank will be looking for more of the same.