Following a five-game winless run that saw Tottenham Hotspur squander a lead on each occasion, Ange Postecoglou's men have roared back into form after picking up three successive victories in the Premier League.
The latest triumph at home to an in-form Everton side saw the Lilywhites strike early blows courtesy of Richarlison and Son, with the former Celtic boss no doubt hoping for another fast start in tonight's mouthwatering meeting with Brighton and Hove Albion.
Ange's 88-touch Spurs titan who won 13 duels was a wall alongside Vicario
They weren’t at their best, but Tottenham secured three points against an in-form Everton side.
ByAngus Sinclair Dec 23, 2023
While Postecoglou will be seeking more of the same for the trip to the south coast, a handful of selection issues could pose something of a problem this evening.
Spurs team news vs Brighton
With the north London outfit already boasting a sizeable injury list – that includes the likes of James Maddison, Micky van de Ven and Rodrigo Bentancur – there will be further frustration for Postecoglou that both Cristian Romero and Richarlison were forced off with injury in the 2-1 win over the Toffees.
While neither issue appeared to be particularly serious at the time, the South American pair will have to be assessed ahead of the trip to the Amex, with the quick turnaround from the weekend clash perhaps putting their involvement in doubt today.
A further concern is the fact that former Seagulls man Yves Bissouma is set to be unavailable for the clash with his previous employers due to suspension, albeit with Destiny Udogie at least able to make his return after missing out on Saturday due to his own one-match ban.
The former Udinese starlet – who has been hailed as "sickeningly good" by footballJOE's Hunter Godson – is likely to walk straight back into the team at left-back, having only recently scored in the 4-1 thrashing of Newcastle United.
The young Italian could well be joined in the starting lineup by experienced midfielder, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, with the Danish maestro potentially set to help fill the void of Bissouma in front of the back four.
The stats to show why Hojbjerg should start vs Brighton
With Bissouma missing out at the weekend, it was Oliver Skipp who Postecoglou selected to line up alongside Pape Matar Sarr in the centre of the park, with the Englishman putting in a solid, albeit unspectacular display – winning four of his five duels and losing possession on just seven occasions from his 72 touches.
Despite hardly disgracing himself, there could be wisdom in ousting Skipp in order to hand Hojbjerg a starting role instead, with the 28-year-old – who has been linked with a January exit – having previously proven the scourge of the Seagulls.
The £100k-per-week "warrior" – as described by pundit and ex-Spurs man, Alan Hutton – has chipped in with four goals and assists in 13 career meetings with today's opponents, having regularly been a dominant force in this fixture.
The former Southampton man was particularly impressive both home and away against Brighton last season, notably proving the 'driving force' for his side in the 1-0 win at the Amex – as hailed by football.london's Alasdair Gold – while registering an assist in the 2-1 win in the reverse meeting.
17 games (3 starts)
0 goals & assists
90% pass accuracy rate
2.8 balls recovered per game
46% total duels won
0.1 key passes per game
6.74 average match rating
Stats via Sofascore
While the one-time everpresent has seen his game time inhibited of late due to the presence of Sarr and Bissouma, the latter man's absence should see Hojbjerg rightfully reinstated over the more youthful Skipp.
With Brighton the only English club that the one-time Bayern Munich man has scored twice against, he could well look to add to that tally…