Tottenham Hotspur heads into Sunday’s clash against Newcastle United with some significant absences in their attack. Center-forwards Dominic Solanke and Richarlison are both ruled out, forcing manager Ange Postecoglou to rethink his offensive strategy for the trip to St James’ Park.
Injury Concerns:Dominic Solanke: The forward remains sidelined with an ankle injury sustained during the opening day victory against Leicester. Manager Ange Postecoglou confirmed that Solanke is close to returning but will not be risked before the international break. “Dom Solanke’s close but we’ll err on the side of caution, he won’t play on the weekend with the international week, we’ve made a decision to wait until after that,” Postecoglou said in the pre-match press conference.
Richarlison: The Brazilian forward also misses out after pulling up in training with a muscle injury. Postecoglou mentioned, “Richy pulled up sore, I think there’s a muscle injury there, we’re just getting more information but he’ll be out as well.”
Midfield Reinforcements:
– Rodrigo Bentancur: On a positive note, Bentancur is available again after a concussion kept him out of last weekend’s emphatic 4-0 win over Everton. The Uruguayan has completed all necessary protocols and is ready for selection. “Bentancur’s all good, he’s trained well, gone through all the protocols and most important he feels good training-wise,” added Postecoglou.
Key Decisions for Postecoglou:
Attack: With both Solanke and Richarlison out, Heung-min Son is expected to continue as the central striker. The South Korean international was in scintillating form last weekend, scoring twice against Everton, and will be key to Spurs’ attacking threat against Newcastle. Wilson Odobert put in a great performance against Everton so he is expected to start against Newcastle.
Midfield: Postecoglou faces a dilemma regarding Kulusevski’s role. The Swede, who has been deployed as a No. 8 recently, could either retain his midfield role, move to the front three, or potentially start on the bench. His versatility will be crucial in shaping Tottenham’s approach against a strong Newcastle side. With Bentancur back in the mix, Postecoglou could pair him with Pape Sarr and James Maddison in the middle of the park, which potentially could be Spurs’ strongest midfield combination. This midfield trio would offer a balance of creativity, physicality, and defensive solidity, crucial for controlling the game against a well-organized Newcastle team.
Ange’s predicted lineup against Newcastle in 4-3-3 formation