Spurs predicted line-up vs. Fulham: three key changes with Romero among seven who could miss out

Tottenham Hotspur welcome Fulham to north London this Sunday when they return to Premier League action and will hope to finally break their streak of alternating between wins and losses in the league – but will also have to do so without several key players.

A serious injury to first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is the latest severe blow to Ange Postecoglou’s squad, and the Italian is one of up to seven players who could miss out through injury or suspension as Spurs attempt to follow up one of the most famous wins in their recent history.

We’ve got the latest Spurs team news and injury updates below, as well as our best guess at Postecoglou’s likely starting line-up – and if you’re here looking for some information ahead of Friday’s Fantasy Premier League deadline, then you can also find our resident expert’s regular advice column right here.

Goalkeeper & Defence

The club have yet to put a timeline on Vicario’s return to action, but he will be out for months after undergoing surgery on a fractured ankle which he picked up during the remarkable 4-0 defeat of Manchester City at the Etihad last weekend. Fraser Forster, who looked sharp when called upon against AS Roma in the Europa League on Thursday, is expected to deputise in the league as well.

There is a doubt over the availability of key centre-back Cristian Romero, who missed the match in Manchester thanks to an ankle injury he picked up while away on international duty with Argentina. Postecoglou said prior to the Roma game that Romero was returning to training ahead of Sunday’s game and would feature “with a bit of luck” but in his most recent press conference, he said that it was “unlikely” that Romero would feature, although he stopped short of ruling him out. Romero’s usual central defensive partner, Micky van de Ven, remains out with a hamstring injury but is close to returning to training.

Midfield

One player who will certainly miss out is Rodrigo Bentancur, who will serve the second match of a seven-game suspension for making racist remarks regarding team-mate Son Heung-Min. Tottenham are in the process of appealing the length of the Uruguayan’s ban, but that is not expected to be resolved in time to give Bentancur any chance of playing this weekend.

Elsewhere, Postecoglou should enjoy a clean bill of health in midfield, and the only debate is whether he will bring the in-form Dejan Kulusevski back into a central role to accommodate Brennan Johnson or persist with a double pivot of Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma.

Forwards

Spurs have several players missing on the wings, with Richarlison and summer signing Wilson Odobert (both hamstring) both long-term injuries – Richarlison is expected back in January, but no timeline has been placed on Odobert’s recovery as yet.

Young winger Mikey Moore, who has been struggling with a virus, is also expected to miss out with Postecoglou previously suggesting that he would take a “couple of weeks” to recover. Dominic Solanke should be fit to lead the line once more.

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