New Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho will be in charge for his first game Saturday when the north London side face off against West Ham United.
The former Chelsea and Manchester United manager has a tough task ahead of him at the helm of the club, with Spurs having won their last league game back in September.
They are currently in 14th in the league with 14 points from 12 games. Mourinho will need to turn things around quickly if they stand any chance of making it to the top 4, and that should start against West Ham.
Early team news: Jan Vertonghen and Erik Lamela both missed Spurs’ last game against Sheffield United, and we aren’t quite sure if the will return for this weekend’s game. Hugo Lloris is sure to miss the game against West Ham.
Ndombele is a doubt, and should he fail to make it in time, we could see Moussa Sissoko feature in midfield once again.
Let’s take a look at the possible starting lineup for Jose Mourinho’s first game in charge of Spurs:
Predicted Tottenham Hotspur Lineup vs West Ham
Goalkeeper
Paulo Gazzaniga has done well in place of Lloris and he should continue between the sticks for Spurs on Saturday.
Defence
Mourinho may not include any of the players who are rumoured to leave the club due to the expiry of their contract, which means that Toby Alderweireld may not start.
Davinson Sanchez should start, playing alongside Eric Dier at the back, while Juan Foyth is an option as well.
At right-back, Serge Aurier should get a start, while Ben Davies should also retain his place in the starting XI, over on the left flank.
Midfield
Tanguy Ndombele could be a key player for Spurs under Mourinho and he should start in midfield if fit enough, with Harry Winks or Moussa Sissoko playing in midfield alongside him.
Winks may get the nod ahead of Sissoko as he is a better passer of the ball. But if Ndombele doesn’t make it in time, a midfield pivot of Winks and Sissoko could well take to the pitch.
Dele Alli could also retain his place in the Tottenham Hotspur lineup, playing as the No. 10, while Giovani Lo Celso can also play that role.
Attack
Mourinho may bring in a direct and quick winger like Lucas Moura instead of Lo Celso on the right side, while Son Heung-min will retain his place on the left. Harry Kane should start as the central striker for Spurs against West Ham.
