Tottenham Hotspur suddenly have a goalkeeper dilemma thanks to the return of Guglielmo Vicario from hernia surgery, but Roberto De Zerbi must stick with AntonÃn Kinsky between the posts.
Spurs have just two games to preserve their Premier League status. We are in control of our own fate, but few feel comfortable heading into Tuesday night's clash with Chelsea, and not merely because of our woeful Premier League record at Stamford Bridge.
Much rests on Sunday's encounter between Newcastle United and West Ham United. Reassuringly, Eddie Howe has asserted the significance of this fixture for the hosts, who can improbably qualify for Europe but will want to finish above rivals Sunderland, and the Magpies have previously done us a massive favour at a similar juncture before.
A win for West Ham would see them usurp the Lilywhites in the table, placing immense pressure on our trip to west London a little over 48 hours later. Anything but three points for the Irons on Tyneside should allow us to breathe easier, with a rare victory at the Bridge securing our safety.
A fraught, nerve-shredding week is upon us, folks, and we can only hope the significance of the situation doesn't distort De Zerbi's thinking. There's no need to make a change at the goalkeeper position.
Kinsky should not lose his spot despite Vicario's injury return
Vicario has a tendency to berate to compensate for his own misgivings, but I appreciate his character and believe his woeful statistical campaign is largely a result of the hernia he carried for much of it.
The Italian is a chaotic shot-stopper who's capable of the spectacular, but he's been one-upped by his back-up in recent weeks.
Kinsky has recovered from his Madrid nightmare remarkably well. His string of impressive performances, culminating in an outstanding save from Sean Longstaff on Monday night against Leeds United, is a testament to his character, and although Spurs will be in the market for a goalkeeper this summer, Kinsky may well start 2026/27 as our No. 1.
Vicario is moving on, with Scudetto holders Inter Milan interested. The time is right for a return home, with the former Empoli man capable of re-emerging as an exciting, somewhat reliable goalkeeper should he fully recover from his most recent fitness setback.
It seemed as if Vicario was done for the season, given Kinsky's level of performances and his consistent place in 'normal' clothing on the substitutes bench. However, pictures have emerged of Vicario back in training ahead of Tuesday's game, raising fears that De Zerbi could make a goalkeeper switch he simply doesn't need to make.
Kinsky is far better suited to what the Italian wants from his man between the posts than the often unsteady Vicario, who's more easily flummoxed when dealing with the high ball and cannot be trusted to adhere to De Zerbi's demands in possession. He also hasn't played in almost two months.
It's a massive call that could decide Tottenham's fate. I trust De Zerbi to make the right one.