Defensive midfielder-Mousa Dembele
Dembele may not be capable of playing the full match this weekend, but he’ll still be one of Pochettino’s starters. The absence of Tottenham’s top central defenders will require the Belgian’s presence to shield Spurs’ makeshift back line.
Counterintuitively, the key for Dembele will be to make sure he doesn’t play too conservatively. If he’s content to sit back and shield the back four, it will make life difficult for his attacking teammates. Dembele must carry the ball into the final third to help his side unlock Stoke’s defense.
Defensive midfielder-Harry Winks
Winks’ job against Stoke City will be simple, but vital. It will be the young Englishman’s responsibility to give Tottenham’s attack enough tempo to keep Stoke off-balance.
Of course, he’ll also need to make sure he covers up for any defensive mistakes. Winks isn’t the most physically dominant midfielder in England, but he’s not afraid to put in a challenge. Don’t be surprised if he ends up with a well-deserved yellow card after a physical outing against the Potters.