Spurs predicted line-up vs Man Utd: will Cristian Romero be fit to face the Red Devils?

Tottenham Hotspur will be hoping to pick up their first competitive win under new manager Ange Postecoglou this weekend when they face Manchester United on home turf. Spurs were held to a 2-2 draw by Brentford last time out, but will have taken plenty of encouraging signs from a performance that impressed, by and large.

For the most part, Postecoglou should have a near-identical squad to select his starting XI from on Saturday evening, with the only exception being the absent Cristian Romero, who is likely to miss out after having been withdrawn with a head injury against the Bees last time out.

But who will come in to replace the Argentine, and who else will make the team sheet? Check out our predicted line-up below...

Formation

On the evidence of last weekend’s performance, Ange-ball is very much finding its footing in north London. The Australian manager has a distinct tactical approach and style of play that he likes to implement wherever he goes, and by the looks of things, Tottenham will also be following his preferred blueprint. Expect a 4-3-3 on Saturday, and for the foreseeable future.

Goalkeeper

It is still early days for Tottenham’s new number one, Guglielmo Vicario, but you would have to say that the two goal he conceded in his side’s 2-2 draw against Brentford last weekend were hardly his fault. The first came from the penalty spot after a VAR intervention, and the second took a wicked deflection off Micky van de Ven that rendered his attempt to stop it utterly helpless. The Italian will be hoping for better fortunes on Saturday evening.

Defence

Last weekend saw both of Tottenham’s full-backs produce strong showings, with Emerson Royal scoring a well-taken equaliser from range, and Destiny Udogie impressing hugely on his competitive debut. Both should start again on Saturday.

At the heart of defence, the aforementioned Van de Ven got his Spurs career off to a rocky start by ricocheting a Yoane Wissa strike into his own net, but Postecoglou is likely to persist with him against United. As for who will partner him, Cristian Romero - goalscorer against Brentford - is likely to be ruled out due to concussion protocols after being reluctantly substituted with a head injury last weekend. Davinson Sanchez could, therefore, come into the side.

Midfield

There plenty of reasons for Tottenham fans to be excited by their midfield last weekend; Yves Bissouma put in a dominant display that hinted he might finally reach the heights he often did during his time with Brighton, Oliver Skipp looked dependable and solid in the engine room, and James Maddison sizzled with a creative flair that suggests he could be a major asset to Postecoglou’s side. Don’t be surprised to see the same trio start again on Saturday.

Attack

And finally, as the dust continues to settle on Harry Kane’s exit, Tottenham’s front three just about picks itself at the moment. Richarlison has been entrusted with the unenviable task of replacing the England captain through the middle, and will be hoping to open his account sooner rather than later before scrutiny over his output, or lack thereof, mounts.

Out wide, new club captain Son Heung-min should feature, as should Dejan Kulusevski, although it will be interesting to see if summer signing Manor Solomon is given a chance to make his competitive Spurs debut from the bench at any point.

Full Predicted XI

Vicario; Emerson, Sanchez, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bissouma, Skipp, Maddison; Kulusevski, Richarlison, Son.