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Tottenham Hotspur are preparing to host Liverpool in the Premier League this Sunday. Both sides are coming into this clash with confidence. It will be an eye-catching clash for the fans as two quality sides hustle for three vital points.

Arne Slot has also preferred a 4-2-3-1 shape as it allows him to put more players in the final third. His team will try to cut down the areas in the centre and retain the possession of the ball. They will also look to attack from wide areas as their wingers are electrifying.

Tottenham Hotspur

Ben Davies (hamstring), Cristian Romero (thigh), Micky van de Ven (hamstring) or Guglielmo Vicario (ankle), Mikey Moore (illness), Wilson Odobert (hamstring), Richarlison (hamstring) and Rodrigo Bentancur (banned) are all absentees.

Tottenham Hotspur Predicted XI

Forster; Porro, Gray, Dragusin, Udogie; Sarr, Bissouma; Kulusevski, Maddison, Son; Solanke

IPSWICH, ENGLAND – AUGUST 17: Diogo Jota of Liverpool (2R) celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammates Mohamed Salah (L), Andy Robertson and Luis Diaz during the Premier League match between Ipswich Town FC and Liverpool FC at Portman Road on August 17, 2024 in Ipswich, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

Liverpool

Conor Bradley (hamstring) and Ibrahima Konate (knee) aren’t available for selection.

Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Jota

Key Men

Inter Milan would only sell Spurs and West Ham United target Yann Bisseck in the face of a massive offer.

This according to today’s print edition of Rome-based newspaper Corriere dello Sport, via FCInterNews.

Bisseck has proven to be a real breakout talent for Inter over the last year and a half.

The Nerazzurri signed the German from Aarhus in the summer of 2023. At the time, he was far from a household name, as he had only really made his name in the Danish top flight.

However, Inter backed Bisseck to grow into the first team.

And that is exactly what the 24-year-old has done.

After spending the first few months of last season settling in, Bisseck started to get opportunities in the starting eleven through the second half of the campaign.

And this time around, the 24-year-old has been a regular in the Inter starting eleven. This has been the case both in Serie A and the Champions League.

Inter Would Only Sell Spurs & West Ham United Target Yann Bisseck For Massive Offer

Naturally, Bisseck’s form has attracted some transfer interest.

And the Corriere confirm that two London clubs are foremost among the German’s suitors.

Both Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United have shown a strong interest in signing Bisseck.

And it is not as though Inter would not listen to offers for the 24-year-old.

However, the Corriere warns, the Nerazzurri would only consider extremely large bids for Bisseck.

Inter see the German as a future pillar of their starting eleven and top-class defender at the European level.

Therefore, a fee to sign Bisseck would have to reflect that.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to host Manchester United in the EFL Cup quarter-final round this week. The former smashed Southampton 5-0 in the Premier League in their previous game reversing a recent bad run of form. Hence, they must carry the confidence of this win in the game over Man United.

It will be an important game for Spurs not only from the EFL Cup’s point of view but also for their upcoming fixture. Notably, they will lock horns with table-toppers Liverpool at home on Sunday night and must prepare well.

Defence

Fraser Forster enjoyed a comfortable night against Southampton and he will aim to keep another clean sheet in the league. Djed Spence got his first competition start but Pedro Porro should be returning to take up his right-back role.

Archie Gray and Radu Dragusin remain intact at the heart of the defence. The centre-back duo will have a big role to play if Spurs want to win this tie. As Destiny Udogie is doubtful for the game, Ange Postecoglou might consider using Djed Spence at the left-back position.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Romanian defender #06 Radu Dragusin makes his debut during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on January 14, 2024. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP)

Midfield

Yves Bissouma is available again after having served a one-match ban. He should come into the XI at the expense of Lucas Bergvall to form the midfield duo with Pape Matar Sarr.

Dejan Kulusevski continues to operate on the right flank with James Maddison operating in the central areas. However, Brennan Johnson is likely to get the nod on the other wing.

Son Heung-min will again play as a striker and provide his services from the middle with Solanke coming on later if needed.

Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Richarlison, Ben Davies, Wilson Odobert (all hamstring), Guglielmo Vicario (ankle), Mikey Moore (illness) and Rodrigo Bentancur (suspension) are all unavailable for selection for this much-anticipated clash.

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On Saturday afternoon, there was League One action for Josh Keeley, Jamie Donley, and Leyton Orient again Burton Albion, as well as a game for Matthew Craig’s Barnsley against Exeter City. Let’s take a look at how everything went, both individually and collectively.

Taking a look at all things third tier for Tottenham loanees

To begin, Orient were again one of the early kick off’s in League One, having beaten Wigan Athletic 2-0 away from home at the same time last week. Once again, both Keeley and Donley were named in the starting XI by manager Richie Wellens.

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Unfortunately, this game did not yield the same success as last week, as the O’s were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw against 23RD placed Burton, who are as many as nine points away from being outside of the bottom four.

Still, that makes it three clean sheets in a row for Keeley, who made two saves in this game. Furthermore, he completed six out of seven accurate long balls throughout the game. Meanwhile, Donley played the 90 minutes in the number ten role, as he continues to get more and more minutes in recent weeks.

Individually, this is overall the best position that both players have been in, since they joined the League One outfit in the summer. Both being in a good moment at the same time, is great, too. At first Donley was having a more fruitful loan, before that reversed quickly and significantly, but they are both enjoying extended runs in the team.

Whilst collectively things could be a bit better, it is seven points from their last three games, as well as being in the FA Cup third round, thanks to Keeley’s header – as they face Championship side Derby County at home on the 11th of January.

This draw leaves Orient in 18th place in League One, with 22 points from their 19 games so far.

As for Craig, it was quite the familiar story, as he was yet again an unused sub for Barnsley’s trip down South to Exeter. This role, or lack there of, simply can not continue, and it seems the club agree – as reports surfaced this week of Spurs preparing to recall the midfielder, amid interest from several other EFL clubs.

In the midfielder’s absence, the Tykes pulled off a 2-1 win, and sit 7th in League One, with 30 points from their 20 games.

Next up: a battle against each other. Barnsley host Orient on Saturday. What a shame that Craig is unlikely to play and come up against Donley in direct competition. Nevertheless, a 15:00 GMT kick off for that one.

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On the continent, there was La Liga action for two Spurs loanees - with both Bryan Gil’s Girona side, and Alejo Veliz’ RCD Espanyol side in action on Saturday afternoon.

To begin, Espanyol hosted Osasuna. For this game, Veliz started on the bench. Even more unfortunately for the striker, that is also where he finished the game. This is the third time the Spurs loanee has been an unused sub this season, all of which have been in the last five La Liga outings.

In his absence, Espanyol drew the game 0-0, in an encounter where they only had nine shots throughout, totalling 0.32 expected goals. This draw leaves them in 18th place in La Liga, with 14 points from their 16 games so far.

As for Girona, they faced Mallorca on the road, as they looked to bounce back from their defeat to Liverpool in midweek, where they fought well and could have easily got something from the game. Once again, Gil was named in the starting XI, this time starting in an unfamiliar right wing back role, as manager Michel opted for a 352 line up for this game.

It would be the dream start for his side, taking the lead after seven minutes, however their hosts responded with an equaliser after 20 minutes. After 32 minutes, the home side went down to ten men, after a red card was given upon a VAR check.

However, Girona could not make the man advantage count. In fact, quite the opposite, as Mallorca took the lead early on in the second half. That goal would be enough to win the game, as they defeat Gil’s side 2-1, despite having a man fewer for around an hour of the tie.

Truth be told, it was a really poor performance from the visitors, who had all of the ball, but were continuously undone by counter attacks. As for Gil, he was replaced after 57 minutes.

This result leaves Girona in 9th place in La Liga, with 22 points from their 17 games, though there are teams still to play this game week.

Next up for Espanyol is a home game against Valencia in midweek, a game that was originally postponed due to the floods in the Valencia. This game is on Wednesday, and kicks off at 20:30 GMT.

As for Girona, whilst they do not have a midweek game, their next showdown is not long later, as they face Real Valladolid at home on Friday night, to kick off game week 18. Kick off there is 20:00 GMT.

Tottenham Hotspur’s left-back, Sergio Reguilon, finds himself in a precarious position at the club. At 27, a player would expect to be at the peak of his career, yet Reguilon has not been featured under the management of Ange Postecoglou. This season, he has been conspicuously absent from the team, not only missing from matchday squads in the Premier League but also remaining benched during the League Cup tie against Coventry City. This has led to a frustrating stagnation for a player of his calibre.

According to a report by The Mirror, Reguilon is now seeking to terminate his contract with Spurs, a move that signals his desperation to reboot his career elsewhere. This step is drastic but understandable given that his contract expires at the end of the season, and he aims to find a club where he can enjoy regular playing time.

Despite his current lack of game time, Reguilon’s situation has caught the attention of clubs from Turkey and Saudi Arabia. His ability and potential are clear, having previously demonstrated his capabilities in top-flight football, which keeps his market value alive. The real question is whether Tottenham would consent to terminate his contract. Given the circumstances, with Reguilon not featuring in Postecoglou’s plans, it seems Tottenham might have little to lose by letting him go.

Ange Postecoglou’s approach to squad management has been under scrutiny, particularly with how he handles players not fitting into his tactical framework. When asked about Reguilon’s absence, especially after he travelled with the team for a Europa League game without being included in the squad, Postecoglou stated, “Sergio [Reguilon] is a Tottenham player, that’s why he’s here,” further explaining the need to have enough players for training purposes.

This response, while practical, does not address the broader implications of how such decisions affect player morale and squad dynamics. It’s clear that Reguilon is out of favour, which raises questions about the strategic planning at Tottenham, especially considering potential injuries or rotations that could necessitate depth in the squad.

As Tottenham navigate through this season, the handling of Reguilon’s situation might set a precedent for how other out-of-favour players are managed. The club’s decision could either be seen as a pragmatic approach to maintaining a focused squad or could be viewed as a mismanagement of assets, especially if no financial recuperation is made from Reguilon’s departure.

As a Tottenham supporter, it’s disheartening to see a player like Sergio Reguilon sidelined to such an extent. His potential exit raises significant concerns about the club’s management and the apparent lack of a clear path for reintegrating talented players who fall out of the immediate first-team picture. The situation not only casts a shadow on Reguilon’s career but also sends a worrying signal to other players about how they might be treated under similar circumstances.

The possibility of losing Reguilon for nothing when the January window opens, or at the end of his contract, seems like a missed opportunity to either leverage his talents on the pitch or at least secure some financial return. For fans, it’s crucial that the club manages player assets more judiciously, ensuring that Tottenham’s resources are used effectively to build a competitive and cohesive team.

This ongoing scenario will undoubtedly resonate with the fanbase, prompting discussions on the strategic direction Tottenham is heading, especially in how it aligns with the ambitions and expectations of its supporters.