Tottenham Hotspur have been told to start Rodrigo Bentancur for their last five Premier League matches.
Roberto De Zerbi‘s side sit in the relegation zone, two points behind West Ham with a total of 15 left to play.
The Uruguayan midfielder made his return to the pitch in the 2-2 draw with Brighton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
He had missed three months of action with a hamstring issue, and his absence was sorely missed as shown by his performance against the Seagulls.
Tottenham fans loved to see the midfielder back among the action, and will want to see more of him after an impressive display.
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Why Bentancur has to play in the rest of Tottenham’s games
John Wenham believes Bentancur has to play in all five of Tottenham’s remaining games, in their bid for survival, after what he saw in the game against De Zerbi’s old side.
Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, he said: “The return of Rodrigo Bentancur, who gave a sort of authoritative leadership style performance in the centre of midfield, was brilliant.
“He brought real calmness to our play, he gave Kinsky an outlet from the short goal kicks, he’s there, he picks up the ball, he doesn’t lose possession, and he keeps you in control of the game.
“I think Rodrigo Bentancur being back was a massive lift that’s sort of gone under the radar, he will be a key player for Spurs, and Roberto De Zerbi over these next five games.
“I expect him to start every one.”
How did Bentancur perform vs Brighton?
Bentancur offers so much more to Spurs when he is in the side, as he is comfortable on the ball, completing 86 per cent of his 35 pass attempts against the AMEX Stadium side.
That is especially true defensively, as he has a steel to his game that others lack.
He made four tackles, two clearances, two interceptions and four recoveries in the contest, according to data from Fotmob.
The 28-year-old won five of the six ground duels that he contested, for an 83 per cent success rate in his comeback.
If he can continue that, he could help to drag the Lilywhites out of the difficult situation that they find themselves in at the moment.
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