Thomas Frank must decide whether to thrust Xavi Simons into the Tottenham Hotspur starting XI against West Ham on Saturday.
Spurs are finally back in Premier League action after the international break, and there could be a debut at the London Stadium.
Simons is poised to make his first appearance, having rounded out Tottenham’s summer transfer business.
He will be tasked with providing the creative spark in attack, ideally starting against West Ham on Saturday.
Frank has multiple selection decisions to make, and with that in mind, this is The Sport Review’s predicted Tottenham Hotspur XI to face West Ham.
Tottenham Hotspur stick with a four-man defence
Frank’s tactical approach since his arrival at Tottenham has been built on a solid back four, and that is unlikely to change.
The trusted defensive line of Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, and Djed Spence should be retained.
While Destiny Udogie is back in contention, Spence has been in fine form and earned his first senior England call-up.
As a result, Udogie will likely have to wait for his opportunity.
Thomas Frank’s striker dilemma
Tottenham recently received an injury boost, with Dominic Solanke spotted back in training after an ankle problem.
The hope has been that he would be fit after the international break, but Frank will likely err on the side of caution.
With a Champions League fixture on Tuesday, it makes sense to save Solanke for that game.
Instead, Richarlison, who has started the season well, is expected to lead the line.
This would also allow new signing Randal Kolo Muani to be introduced from the bench in the second half, giving him a chance to adapt to the pace of the Premier League.
Xavi Simons set to make his debut
The big headline for Tottenham’s team news on Saturday is whether Simons will be thrust into the starting lineup.
The young Dutchman has had a full pre-season and played for his national team, meaning he is likely to be match-fit.
Simons is a proven European talent ready to make an instant impact.
He has a history of stepping up in big games, making him a prime candidate to start in the attacking midfield role.
His presence would add a new dimension to the team’s creativity and link-up play.
Predicted XI vs West Ham: Vicario; Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Spence; Palhinha, Bentancur; Kudus, Sarr, Simons; Richarlison.