Rodrigo Bentancur makes his first appearance of the season for Tottenham against Aston Villa today.
The Uruguayan has spent several months on the touchline with a serious knee injury but is back to partner Giovani Lo Celso in midfield while Bryan Gil also gets a start. Pape Sarr did not train on Friday and is absent.
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Villa did the double over Spurs last season, but Ange Postecoglou’s side need a positive result this weekend as they seek to get back on track after successive defeats by Chelsea and Wolves before the international break.
“We’re still checking on Pape Matar Sarr, who has a bit of an issue coming back from the national team”, Postecoglou said on Friday. “We’ll see how he is tomorrow.
"He didn’t train today. Aside from that, [Yves] Bissouma is suspended but we’ll get Destiny [Udogie] back.”
Ashley Phillips, who is yet to play for Tottenham’s senior side since joining from Blackburn in the summer, had been tipped for game time while Micky van de Ven is injured and Cristian Romero suspended, but he has picked up a fresh injury.
“Young Ashley Phillips picked up an ankle injury with the England [Under-19s] team”, his manager said. “He’s out for a little while. We’re still assessing it but at least probably a month out. I think everyone else is OK.”
The Spurs manager also said there is no new news about Micky van de Ven and James Maddison’s returns from injury. Both are still expected to be sidelined until 2024.
With Bissouma suspended for the visit of Villa, Bentancur makes his first start for Tottenham since suffering an ACL injury in February. He started for Uruguay on Tuesday as they beat South American rivals Bolivia 3-0 in a 2026 World Cup qualifier.
Emerson Royal is preferred to Eric Dier in central defence.
Tottenham XI: Vicario; Porro, Royal, Davies, Udogie; Lo Celso, Bentancur; Kulusevski, Gil, Son; Johnson
Subs: Forster, Austin, Dorrington, Dier, Skipp, Hojbjerg, Donley, Veliz
Injuries: Richarlison, Van de Ven, Maddison, Solomon, Sessegnon, Perisic, Phillips, Whiteman
Suspended: Bissouma, Romero
Date and time: 2pm GMT on Sunday November 26, 2023
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
