Following Mohammed Kudus’ latest injury setback, which will rule him out of the weekend clash against Sunderland, we have attempted to predict how Roberto De Zerbi’s Tottenham XI could line up on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League.
At least nine Tottenham Hotspur players are a doubt for Sunday’s encounter with Sunderland this weekend because of injuries.
Mohammed Kudus had a slim chance of featuring on the right wing for Roberto De Zerbi’s men after returning to training earlier this week, but Kudus has now picked up another injury, which could rule him out for the season.
It remains to be seen exactly how long the winger will be out for after this latest setback, with eyes set to be fixed on De Zerbi’s press conference on Friday. However, it doesn’t look good when the World Cup is mentioned as a doubt.
The new Tottenham boss will now have to find a solution to the latest Kudus injury, and we have now attempted to predict how Spurs might line up on Sunday afternoon against Sunderland.
Tottenham predicted XI vs Sunderland as Mohammed Kudus misses out
Goalkeeper – Antonin Kinsky: This matchup might come a bit too soon for Guglielmo Vicario, who is still recovering from hernia surgery. As such, Kinsky should start in goal for De Zerbi’s first match in charge.
Right-back – Pedro Porro: Under Igor Tudor, Porro has been deployed as a right midfielder, a wing-back and even a right winger, as the Croat often opted for a three-at-the-back setup. However, that should change this weekend, as we expect Porro to feature as a right-back in a four-at-the-back system under De Zerbi.
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Centre-back – Cristian Romero: The Argentine is one of five players we believe will be crucial if De Zerbi is to get a win on his debut. However, that depends on whether Romero carries his impressive form from international duty into this clash. If he does, then Tottenham’s chances will be greatly improved.
Centre-back – Micky van de Ven: We do not expect any changes here, especially with van de Ven fit. The Dutchman is expected to partner with Romero.
Left-back – Destiny Udogie: De Zerbi has the option of Djed Spence for the left-back slot, but we expect him to go with Udogie here, given how much freedom and creativity are afforded to the full-backs in his system. Udogie, being left-footed, will allow for more attacking balance.
Centre midfielder – Archie Gray: This position in the Tottenham XI almost picks itself, given the form Archie Gray is in. We expect him to be one of the two in the pivot.
Centre midfielder – Lucas Bergvall: The Swede, who declared himself fit during the international break while away with his country, could return to the midfield alongside Gray to provide much-needed energy against Sunderland.
Attacking midfielder – Xavi Simons: The Dutchman remains one of the most creative players in the Tottenham squad and one we believe De Zerbi will look to get the most out of. We expect him to feature on Sunday because of the tactical flexibility he offers.
Left winger – Richarlison: In the absence of Kudus, we suspect that De Zerbi might turn to Richarlison to offer width against Sunderland. However, with Simons starting, there are further options, as the Dutchman could rotate with Richarlison depending on the game state. Simons could also be shifted to the left and Tel to the right, while Richarlison could function as a second striker behind Solanke.
Striker – Dominic Solanke: In De Zerbi’s system, where attacking will be a key feature, we expect chances to be created regularly, and Solanke must be on hand to finish them.