Antonio Conte is yet to officially take a training session at Tottenham while he was awaiting his work visa, but the new head coach has been cleared to be in the dugout for tonight’s Europa Conference League match at home to Vitesse Arnhem.
In the circumstances, Conte’s XI was anyone’s guess but the Italian has made an immediate switch to his preferred 3-4-3 system, which looks well-suited to Spurs’ squad.
Club captain Hugo Lloris is yet to play in the Conference League this season but joined managing director Fabio Paratici at yesterday’s pre-match press conference and Conte may feel the skipper’s influence is important as he attempts to get his initial ideas across to the squad.
Conte wants Cristian Romero at the heart of his back three, while Ben Davies looks a good fit for the left centre-half role and may be set for a run in the team after being named in this XI.
Emerson Royal and Sergio Reguilon are ready to start both tonight’s match and Everton on Sunday, the Spaniard being rested for Nuno Espirito Santo’s final game, the bleak 3-0 defeat to Manchester United on Saturday.
In midfield, Harry Winks and Dele Alli are on the bench with Oliver Skipp and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg forming a two-man central midfield behind the front three.
One of Conte’s first major challenges will be coaxing Harry Kane back to his best and the head coach opts to start the England captain in a strong attack with Lucas Moura and Heung-min Son in a bid to immediately play him into some form.
Ryan Sessegnon, who could be a big winner in Conte’s switch to wing-backs, and Bryan Gil, who worked inside yesterday while the rest of the squad trained, are the only two players missing through injury.
Tottenham XI: Lloris; Royal, Dier, Romero, Davies, Reguilon; Skipp, Hojbjerg; Lucas, Son, Kane.
Subs: Gollini, Austin, Sanchez, Tanganga, Rodon, Doherty, Winks, Dele, Lo Celso, Ndombele, Bergwijn, Scarlett.
Vitesse XI: Schubert; Doekhi, Bazoer, Rasmussen; Dasa, Tronstad, Gboho, Bero; Frederiksen, Wittek, Buitink.
Subs: Houwen, Van Haveren, Openda, Darfalou, Oroz, Hajek, Von Moos, Domgjoni, Yapi, Vroegh, Cornelisse, Huisman.
