Tottenham predicted XI vs Brighton: Bentancur benched and Mathys Tel returns

After suffering defeat in his first game as Tottenham Hotspur boss, Roberto De Zerbi will be hoping to make amends this weekend against his former side, Brighton and Hove Albion. We have now attempted to predict how Roberto De Zerbi could line up against the Seagulls.

The Seagulls come into the clash against Spurs in fine form, having secured a 2-0 victory over Burnley in their last outing.

In fact, Fabian Hurzeler’s side is the second most in-form team in the Premier League based on results from the last five games, with Brighton winning four of their last five outings and securing 12 points in that run.

But Spurs must beat the Seagulls if they are to keep their survival hopes alive heading into the final games of the season.

This encounter marks De Zerbi’s first home game as Tottenham boss, and we have now attempted to predict how he might set up.

Spurs predicted XI vs Brighton with Richarlison and Pedro Porro starting

Goalkeeper – Antonin Kinsky: Guglielmo Vicario could still be out for this encounter as he continues to recover from hernia surgery, and that should see Kinsky continue in goal after a solid first start in the Premier League this season.

Right-back – Pedro Porro: The Spaniard was one of the few Spurs players to put in a solid display in De Zerbi’s debut against Sunderland, and we expect him to build on that performance this weekend.

Centre-back – Kevin Danso: We expect the Austrian to be the one De Zerbi turns to in the final games of the season, with Cristian Romero set to miss 5-7 weeks of action.

Centre-back – Micky van de Ven: He remains fit, so he should start alongside Danso on Saturday afternoon.

Left-back – Destiny Udogie: The full-back was impressive against Sunderland, offering both attacking and defensive cover for Spurs, and as a result, we expect him to start once again here.

Centre midfielder – Joao Palhinha: Tottenham missed some defensive solidity in midfield against Sunderland, and De Zerbi will likely turn to the grit of Palhinha this weekend. Rodrigo Bentancur returns to the squad but only fit enough for the bench.

Centre midfielder – Archie Gray: Supporting Palhinha as a second pivot, we have gone for Archie Gray, who has been arguably one of Spurs’ better players this season and one who can help progress the ball from deeper midfield.

Attacking midfielder – Conor Gallagher: While Gallagher might not feature deep in midfield, we do expect that he could be deployed further forward, with Lucas Bergvall dropping to the bench. It might not be a popular decision, but De Zerbi is a big fan of Gallagher.

Left winger – Mathys Tel: The Frenchman did not start against Sunderland, but we expect he will be back in the starting XI this weekend following the underwhelming display from Tottenham’s attack last time out.

Striker – Richarlison: According to Jamie O’Hara’s player ratings, Dominic Solanke was the worst player on the pitch for Spurs against the Black Cats, and that is hard to argue against, given how little he was involved in proceedings. As such, we expect to see Richarlison take his spot.

Right winger – Randal Kolo Muani: The on-loan Paris Saint-Germain man was the one who filled in on the right in Kudus’ absence, and we expect him to continue there once more – even if we would prefer an out-and-out winger.

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