As Tottenham Hotspur prepare to host Manchester United on Saturday afternoon, Thomas Frank has some big decisions to make with his starting lineup.
The north London club claimed a 4-0 win in midweek over Copenhagen in the Champions League, despite being reduced to ten men in the second half, as the team bounced back from a terrible performance at home against fierce London rivals Chelsea at the weekend.
On paper, things look good. Only Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea have scored more goals than the Lilywhites in the Premier League, while only Arsenal have conceded fewer goals too. But fans are growing increasingly frustrated by the style of play and the performances of some players, and that was summed up in midweek by the actions of striker Richarlison.
After coming onto the pitch as a substitute, the Brazilian did something unforgivable. Young starlet Dane Scarlett was making his Champions League debut and after a mazy solo run, was brought down in stoppage time for a penalty. But Richarlison stormed over and took the ball from him to take the penalty himself, only to hit the crossbar and rob the academy graduate of a wholesome moment.
It's not the first time that Richarlison has thought more about himself than the team, and it seems as though Frank may now have had enough of him.
Tottenham Must Axe Richarlison vs Man Utd
The former Everton star, who earns £130,000-a-week, started the season as the first-choice striker at the club, and he started in good form with two goals and an assist in the opening two games.
However, his form then dropped off, and he has now scored just once in his last 14 appearances for Tottenham, which has seen him lose his place in the starting lineup to loanee Randal Kolo Muani. While it could be painted as Richarlison winning Frank over, it's more likely that he was starting those games because the manager had no other choice.
Dominic Solanke has barely featured this season due to a persistent ankle problem which required surgery, while Kolo Muani had a lengthy period on the sidelines with a dead leg shortly after joining from Paris Saint-Germain.
Now that the France international is fit, he is playing up front, and that must continue when Ruben Amorim's Man Utd side make the trip to Tottenham on Saturday afternoon.
The team is going through a difficult phase right now, and they need to be united and stick together. Having players like Richarlison, who are clearly putting themselves first at the moment, won't be helpful.
Once Solanke returns to fitness too, he is likely to leapfrog Richarlison in the pecking order too, and with the World Cup on the horizon, Richarlison will want to be playing regularly to secure a spot in Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil squad.