Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou will be tempted to make changes to his team against Nottingham Forest as he looks to engineer a win that keeps their quest to secure Champions League football next alive. The Lilywhites are two points behind Unai Emery’s Aston Villa.
The good news is that Brennan Johnson who scored at West Ham and then picked up a knock is fit enough and will be in the squad. Richarlison though has been given the weekend off to heal after a troubling knee.
The Brazilian has played less than 30 minutes in the last three games and Postecoglou admitted that giving his Brazilian forward time off is in the best interest of everyone so he heals properly.
He said: “The only one is Richy (Richarlison) . He’s had a bit of a niggle with his knee these last few weeks. We figured it is kind of best he takes this weekend off and gets ready for Newcastle next.”
One of the reasons Tottenham have struggled recently is that star man James Maddison is yet to rediscover the fine form that made him a candidate for Player of the Season earlier in the campaign.
Senegalese midfielder Pape Matar Sarr has had his fitness issue recently which led to Rodrigo Bentancur starting at the London Stadium on Tuesday night. But Sarr is expected to return to pair Yves Bissouma in midfield as Postecogou goes with a midfield he considers his best.
Spurs are now without a clean sheet in an alarming 11 Premier League home games on the bounce - as well as failing to score a single first-half goal on familiar soil in 2024.
Former manager Nuno Espirito Santo returns to the club he managed just for four months with his Nottingham Forest in search of three points that will help their fight for Premier League survival.
But Postecoglou’s team are favourite and this is the team we anticipate he’ll name for the game.