Tottenham projected XI v Crystal Palace: Does Ndombele return for Spurs?

International Break is finally over and Tottenham desperately need three points against Crystal Palace. Here’s the projected starting XI for Spurs. 

Premier League action is finally set to return this weekend and Tottenham definitely need a positive result at home against Crystal Palace. Unfortunately for Mauricio Pochettino, his squad continues to suffer from quite a few injuries.

Giovani Lo Celso suffered a hip injury for Argentina that will sideline him until late October according to the Evening Standard. He isn’t the only key player who will miss the fixture for Spurs. Juan Foyth and Davinson Sanchez will both miss the game in central defence. Foyth is getting closer to returning from a preseason injury while Sanchez is suffering from ankle irritation after his international duty for Colombia.

Even so, Tottenham still should have enough quality to get past the Eagles. The following 11 players should get the starting nod from Pochettino on Saturday.

Striker-Harry Kane

Kane is rounding into form after a slow start to the campaign. His goals for England during the week will only strengthen Pochettino’s resolve to start him on Saturday. Per usual, he will lead the line for Spurs and be counted on to score for his team.

Attacking midfielder-Dele Alli

Dele’s been a forgotten man for Tottenham this year after missing the start of the season due to injury. He appears to be fit now and he has a history of playing well against Palace. Look for his clever runs from deep to open up a lot of space if the Eagles try to sit deep against Spurs.

Attacking midfielder-Christian Eriksen

Now that Eriksen’s immediate future has been resolved, look for him to get a string of starts from Pochettino. There’s no guarantee he’ll remain at the club past January, but Tottenham will look to get everything they can out of him until then. Lo Celso’s injury makes starting Eriksen an easy choice for Pochettino.

Attacking midfield-Heung-Min Son

Son may have traveled a lot of miles for his country during International Break, but he’s still going to get the start on the wing in this match. His pace will be crucial for Tottenham’s attempt to stretch the Palace back line. He may be the first player substituted in the second half, but Pochettino will hope Son’s already found the back of the net by then.

Defensive midfielder-Moussa Sissoko

Sadly, it’s unlikely that Tanguy Ndombele is going to go right back into the starting XI. Expect Pochettino to treat his prized purchase with a bit more caution. That means Sissoko gets another start in the double-pivot. His ability to carry the ball through traffic could be a key for Spurs.

Defensive midfielder-Harry Winks

Winks didn’t play for England as much as he wanted this week, but he’s in line to get another start for Spurs. The club will be desperate to see him build on his quality performance at Arsenal just before he left for international duty. He can’t afford to rely on sideways passing against Palace. Winks must drive the attack forward.

Left back-Ben Davies

Unlike Winks, Danny Rose got more action than he might have anticipated for The Three Lions this week. That makes it wise for Pochettino to give him a rest on the weekend. Instead, Davies will finally get his chance to rejoin the club’s starting XI. Pochettino will hope he can get forward enough to provide his attack real width.

Centre back-Jan Vertonghen

The injury to Sanchez opens the door for Vertonghen to reclaim his normal spot in the starting XI. Look for him to put together a steady performance against Palace. He will need to be particularly concerned with their efforts to trouble Tottenham via their pacy counter attack.

Centre back-Toby Alderweireld

At this point, Alderweireld deserves to be one of the first names on Pochettino’s team sheet every week. He’s a world-class defender. Like Vertonghen, he’ll need to make sure he isn’t caught napping if Spurs give up possession in the midfield in this fixture.

Right back-Kyle Walker-Peters

Walker-Peters still needs to be declared fully fit in advance of this match, but his health is trending in the right direction. He’ll be very anxious to reclaim his spot in Pochettino’s starting lineup. Look for him to put in a really energetic shift on Saturday.

Keeper-Hugo Lloris

Lloris may be bored for long stretches of this match, but there’s always the chance he’ll be called upon to make a few key saves to bail out his defence. The Frenchman won’t be busy on Saturday, but his efforts may prove crucial for Tottenham.