Hotspur HQ
Fansided

Tottenham @ Leicester lineups and preview

By Ryan Wrenn

Tottenham Hotspur's French midfielder Moussa Sissoko controls the ball during the English Premier League football match between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park in south London on April 26, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Ben STANSALL / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images)
Tottenham Hotspur's French midfielder Moussa Sissoko controls the ball during the English Premier League football match between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park in south London on April 26, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Ben STANSALL / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Mauricio Pochettino takes his Tottenham team to Leicester this afternoon in hopes to sustain their good form through the season’s penultimate match.

Tottenham can’t do any better or worse than second place in the Premier League, so now it is solely about stretching the record points earned and getting goals for Harry Kane.

Leciester, meanwhile, are hoping for a top half finish as they look for some solace after failing to defend their title this season.

Compared to the side that Pochettino named for Sunday’s finale at White Hart Lane, this side is only slightly rotated.


With Kieran Trippier and Kyle Walker both out injured, Eric Dier is forced to perch up at right-back. That change, in turn, means that Spurs cannot operate with a three man defense. Ben Davies will take up the more traditional left-back role he’s accustomed to on the opposite flank.

Victor Wanyama and Mousa Dembele will play at the base of midfield, with a predictable trio of Heung-min Son, Dele Alli and Kane ahead of him.

There is one significant change however. Christian Eriksen is demoted to the bench, perhaps in recognition of what by almost any measure is his best season yet with Spurs. In his place comes Moussa Sissoko.

The French international is Spurs’ most expensive player ever, but had only had little to no time on the pitch to live up to his fee this season.

There’s good reason for that — he’s simply not very good, and probably wasn’t ever. The Sissoko purchase will likely go down as the one of the most fool-hearty in the history of the club.

But, it being the end of the season and with nothing left to lose, why not give him another shot? At the very least it will put him in the shop window for other clubs who might be interested in acquiring him as (relatively) bargain basement prices.

Leicester name a strong squad in their hopes to overcome their visitors on the day. Expect for Craig Shakespeare to instruct his team to embody the shape and style that made them champions last time out. They will sit back, wait for possession and storm forward with the help of Marc Albrighton and Riyah Mahrez on the flanks.

Next: Danny Rose to miss start of next season

For an end-of-the-season match, this should be a pretty good one. Check back after the game for a match report and full coverage.