Spurs possible XI against Newcastle reveals some start player might not be featured
Tottenham’s home clash against Newcastle United is arguably the hardest game to call in the Premier League this weekend. So naturally, we have decided to do a combined XI of the two sides.
GK: Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham)
Vicario has shown some great promise as a sweeper keeper under Ange Postecoglou, particularly thriving in that role during Spurs’ 4-1 home defeat to Chelsea. That was a strange sentence.
Without Nick Pope, this one was very straightforward.
RB: Pedro Porro (Tottenham)
The £40million January signing of Porro raised a few eyebrows with Antonio Conte set to leave the club at the end of the season at best. Porro was well-suited to Conte’s three-at-the-back system and was not really viewed as an out-and-out right-back. He has proven us wrong this season, though.
Porro has looked great as a full-back under Postecoglou and has arguably been the Australian’s most consistent player of 2023/24.
CB: Cristian Romero (Tottenham)
Spurs’ hot-headed Argentine is comfortably the best (fit) central defender for both teams.
CB: Fabian Schar (Newcastle)
And with no Micky van de Ven or Sven Botman, Schar is easily the second best.
LB: Kieran Trippier (Newcastle)
Trippier has been so influential for Newcastle this season with everything going through him.
He is naturally a right-back but plays on the left pretty often for England and there is a debate that the Newcastle back four would be more balanced with Trippier on the left and Tino Livramento on the right.
DM: Yves Bissouma (Tottenham)
Bissouma has taken on a big role under Postecoglou, assuming more responsibility on the ball with James Maddison out injured.
With Sandro Tonali suspended, this was a no-brainer.
CM: Joelinton (Newcastle)
Injuries and suspensions make the midfield three less stressful than it needed to be. The first of two central midfielders is Joelinton, who has been one of many revelations under Eddie Howe.
Pape Matar Sarr is perhaps a little unfortunate to miss out but he is not yet on the same level as big Joe and…
CM: Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle)
It is difficult to choose between Guimaraes and Trippier when selecting Newcastle’s best PIF signing. They have both been outstanding and were crucial in the Magpies’ fourth-place finish last campaign.
Bruno could contribute with more goals and assists but that is not what his game is about. Without him in midfield, Newcastle are a lot worse.
Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes walking out before a match.
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RW: Dejan Kulusevski (Tottenham)
Kulusevski is another player who has been very consistent under Postecoglou, scoring four goals in 15 Premier League appearances this term.
Choosing him ahead of Miguel Almiron was easy enough.
LW: Heung-min Son (Tottenham)
We have moved Son out wide to where he used to play for Spurs, which shouldn’t cause too much of a fuss (hopefully).
The South Korea captain has shown this season that he has not lost his goalscoring touch, even if his output has declined without Maddison.
Anthony Gordon – who has been outstanding this season – is very unlucky to miss out. It was a toss-up between putting him off the left and Son through the middle, and what we ended up going with.
ST: Alexander Isak (Newcastle)
One of the most under-rated strikers in the Premier League, Isak has been excellent for the Geordies since they paid a club-record fee to sign him from Real Sociedad.
Once again, Gordon is an honourable mention. We feel bad.
