Dominic Solanke needs to be 100 percent for Tottenham Hotspur in order for them to stay afloat in the Premier League, but the secondary striker option has become just as imporant for a desperate Spurs. And with the choice being between Randal Kolo Muani and Richarlison, the latter is obviously the right man to play when Solanke cannot - or to come in to change the game.
Richy has done it before, of course. He saved Everton from relegation years ago, which is what led Spurs to spend 60 million euros to sign him from the Toffees. That Everton team was even more pathetic than this current Tottenham side, and Richarlison carried them with aplomb, making himself an eternal legend at the Merseyside in the 2021/22 season.
But for Tottenham now, there is more than just past results that indicate Richy is someone they need to trust in the late stages of the 2025/26 Premier League season and what is shaping up to be a desperate relegation scrap following unsightly 4-1 and 2-1 losses to rivals Arsenal and Fulham, respectively.
Richarlison brings effort and intensity
That 2-1 loss to Fulham was only made respectable by Richarlison coming into the game late and scoring a consolation goal to give Spurs a glimmer of hope of getting an undeserved point off the Cottagers.
But far from just the goal, it is the heart Richarlison shows when things are on the line. You can say a lot of things about Richy: he cannot create chances, he is mind blowingly inconsistent, and he is one dimensional at times. However, you can never question his heart, effort, or intensity, and he will always run his socks off for the club and for the badge, especially when his team needs him most. He did it for Everton for years, and even though he has not met expectations at the N17, he is clearly still fighting hard for Tottenham.