After their abysmal performance in midweek against Manchester United, Antonio Conte’s Tottenham face another difficult test against Newcastle.
It is fair to say that Tottenham were somewhat found out on Wednesday, many thanks to a perfect game plan from Erik ten Hag that worked wonders.
They were dominated from the very first minute and could never find their way back into the game, where Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son found themselves very isolated.
Despite that, they still sit third after a good start to the season and they will certainly be looking to get back to winning ways on Sunday.
Newcastle, are also ensuring a very good season by their standards, sitting in 6th place after a 1-0 win against Everton on Wednesday.
Eddie Howe has utilised the funds he has been given very well, with additions such as Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Trippier impressing this season.
A win will be huge for the Magpies which could see them enter the top four with a win if other results go their way.
So they will certainly want to put pressure on those teams above, whilst Tottenham will look to bounce back from their defeat at Old Trafford.
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Team News
Conte will still be without Swede Dejan Kulusevski, who has not featured since September. Whilst Richarlison is set to miss out with a calf injury he picked up against Everton.
He told SpursPlay:
“Deki Kulusevski is not available. I think we have to wait a bit of time to see him with us. It is the same for Richarlison”
Although mentioned the return of wing-back Emerson Royal, who will be available for selection after a 3-match suspension.
Joelinton could miss out on a starting spot after picking up a knock in midweek, Howe explained his uncertainty on his availability on Sunday, as per the Chronicle Live.
“We're hopeful it's not serious but at this moment it's still slightly unclear”
Starman Allan Saint-Maximin and new signing Alexander Isak will be set to miss out again, the Frenchman could be out for another few weeks, whilst Isak looks to be out until after the World Cup.
Other injuries include Matt Richie, Emil Krath and Karl Darlow, with all having an extended period on the slide lines. Outside of these, Howe will have the rest of the squad up for selection.
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Likely Lineups
Tottenham: Lloris, Emerson Royal, Romero, Dier, Davies, Perisic, Hojbjerg, Bentancur, Bissouma, Son, Kane.
Newcastle: Pope, Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn, Guimares, Longstaff, Willock, Murphy, Almiron, Wilson.
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Key Players
The England captain has started the season well, with 9 league goals in 11 appearances so far this season. Despite the lack of service, he was unable to make an impact midweek and did not look like scoring at any point, he will surely be looking to rectify that this Sunday.
The lack of a third attacking outlet will hurt his chances of scoring, with both Richarlison and Kulusevski out, but with the quality the Englishman possesses, he always has enough to create big chances for his side and remains the Starman in the team.
His partnership with Son has worked wonders across the years, with their great linkup play and awareness of where each other is on the pitch. This could be the key to undoing the Newcastle defence, which is sure to be the gameplan for Conte.
What a signing the Brazillian has been for Newcastle, his quality has really shown since he joined the club in January. Being linked with many of the top European clubs, it was almost certain he would take the Premier League by storm.
Playing in a deep-lying playmaking role, he has returned a respectful 2 goals and 2 assists in 8 games this season. But it is the impact he has had outside of the stats, off and on the ball, which is where he is such a valuable player for the Magpies.
As per Fbref, he offers a lot in progressive actions as he helps the team link play from defence to attack. Whilst being more than competent defensively, as seen by his 4.10 tackles per 90, which is in the 99% percentile in his position.
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Match Details
Where is the match being played?
The match is being played at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
What time is kick-off?
The match will kick off at 4.30 pm on Sunday.
How can I watch?
It will be available to watch in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event and Premier League.