Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi has been tipped to start a Spurs player who could shake off an injury in time for their trip to Sunderland this weekend.
De Zerbi faces Spurs selection dilemmas ahead of Sunderland debut
De Zerbi’s first test as Tottenham head coach arrives this Sunday when Spurs travel to the Stadium of Light, and the stakes are very high.
Tottenham could find themselves in the bottom three by the time the game kicks off, should West Ham beat Wolves in Friday’s evening fixture, and De Zerbi has had just over a week of preparation to show what his arrival can do for a squad that has not won a league match since December.
The squad he has inherited is short on numbers in several key areas, with long-term absentees including Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Wilson Odobert all ruled out for the remainder of the season.
Tottenham’s final seven Premier League fixtures in relegation run-in
Date
Sunderland (away)
April 12
Brighton (home)
April 18
Wolves (away)
April 25
Aston Villa (away)
May 2
Leeds (home)
May 11
Chelsea (away)
May 17
Everton (home)
May 24
Guglielmo Vicario underwent hernia surgery during the international break, leaving Czech goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky set to start between the sticks — his first appearance since a very difficult night in the Champions League against Atlético Madrid.
A plethora of other players are also sidelined in the build up to Sunderland and unlikely to play any role in the North East, but despite that, De Zerbi does have some encouragement heading into Sunday.
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The new manager is making quite an impression.
Pape Matar Sarr, whose been linked with a summer exit to Turkey this week, pulled out of the Senegal international squad with an injury concern but is now expected to be available for the trip to Wearside (Standard Sport) — a significant boost given how stretched the squad had been looking in the weeks prior.
Alongside Sarr, Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge now suggests a return may well be likely for Mathys Tel.
De Zerbi tipped to start Tottenham star Mathys Tel against Sunderland
The journalist has assessed how De Zerbi is likely to approach his first selection, and Tel’s availability on the right of the front three is a central question.
Bridge tips the 20-year-old Frenchman to come through his fitness assessment and start on that flank, having been one of the few genuine positives of a difficult second half of the season.
Tel has scored three goals and contributed one assist in 31 appearances this term, but had begun to look increasingly influential during what was a disastrous spell under Igor Tudor.
The winger was forced to withdraw from international duty with the France Under-21 squad after picking up a thigh injury against Nottingham Forest, but Bridge says Tel will be hoping to shake it off and start against the Black Cats.
If he isn’t quite fit yet, Randal Kolo Muani could be an alternative option for De Zerbi.
Xavi Simons is tipped for the No.10 role, a position where the Dutch midfielder is considerably more effective than the wide berth he was frequently given under Tudor.
De Zerbi is also expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 shape, with Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall providing the midfield base.
Whether Tel starts or Kolo Muani deputises, the requirement is the same: three points, a first league win in over three months and some early signs that the new chapter at Spurs looks different from the one that preceded it.
According to some reports, the early signs are in fact positive, with Tottenham players already loving a key change De Zerbi made in training sessions at Hotspur Way.
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