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Tottenham projected starting XI v Real Madrid: Does Kane sit or start?

By Rucker Haringey

MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM - OCTOBER 28: Mauricio Pochettino, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur looks dejected after the Premier League match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on October 28, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM - OCTOBER 28: Mauricio Pochettino, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur looks dejected after the Premier League match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on October 28, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 25: Danny Rose of Tottenham Hotspur and Sam Byram of West Ham United battle for the ball during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United at Wembley Stadium on October 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 25: Danny Rose of Tottenham Hotspur and Sam Byram of West Ham United battle for the ball during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United at Wembley Stadium on October 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) /

Left wingback-Danny Rose

The conservative choice here would be to hand steady Ben Davies another start here. My gut tells me that Pochettino will want to see exactly how far along Rose is in his recovery. Remember, Pochettino prefers to alternate his wingbacks whenever possible.

Competing against Real Madrid’s attack will certainly make it clear where Rose is as a player. He may not be capable of shutting them down for a full 90 minutes, but an hour of good football against the La Liga giants could send him off and running. Starting Rose would be a risk for Pochettino, but the potential rewards are pretty substantial.

Right wingback-Serge Aurier

A big part of me wanted to pencil Kieran Trippier in here since he didn’t play against United. Even so, I think Aurier’s athleticism makes him the prudent choice for Pochettino.

Besides, Trippier is a much better stylistic fit against Crystal Palace. Spurs figure to have the majority of possession this weekend. Aurier will get the starting nod here due to his defensive upside.

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