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Who starts when Tottenham host Huddersfield on Saturday?

By Gary Pearson

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 28: Son Heung-min of Tottenham celebrates with team mates after scoring his team's fifth goal of the game during The Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round Replay match between Tottenham Hotspur and Rochdale on February 28, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 28: Son Heung-min of Tottenham celebrates with team mates after scoring his team's fifth goal of the game during The Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round Replay match between Tottenham Hotspur and Rochdale on February 28, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /
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Action shifts back to the Premier League for Tottenham’s tilt with Huddersfield on Saturday, bringing up the recurring question of who is going to start. 

Toby Alderweireld is ruled out of the clash while Jan Vertonghen’s fitness is still up in the air. Vertonghen is questionable for Saturday, which leads me to believe he’ll be given the day off to ensure the influential Belgian is ready for Juventus on Wednesday. The gaffer might shed some more light on Vertonghen’s situation in his pre-match presser this afternoon.

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Mauricio Pochettino won’t risk one of his side’s most important members unless there his fitness is guaranteed by team doctors. Luckily it’s not a muscle problem which mitigates considerably the incumbent risks.

Kieran Trippier was excellent on Wednesday and should be provided with the day off. However, rest assured, after Serge Aurier’s performance in Turin a few weeks ago, that Trippier will get the nod against the Old Lady midweek.

Tottenham - Football tactics and formations
Tottenham - Football tactics and formations /

Son Heung-Min and Lucas Moura, after sterling performances against Rochdale, deserve starting spots on Saturday but there’s probably only room for one in Pochettino’s current setup. Either option works for me, as both players create more magic than David Copperfield on his most imaginative day.

I’m leaning toward Son starting, solely due to the fact that he was withdrawn slightly earlier than Moura versus Rochdale.

Next: Player ratings in 6-1 win over Rochdale

The triumvirate of Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli will almost certainly start. Pochettino can’t afford to rest them considering how tight the race for a top-four spot is. Hopefully Spurs can wrap it up early so the big boys can be withdrawn with ample time to spare.

Spurs control their own destiny with 10 matches to play. Sitting in fifth place, Chelsea are two points adrift which makes Saturday’s match with Huddersfield all the more important.

Contests against sides teetering on the brink of the relegation zone offer their own challenges, as teams like Huddersfield will fight tooth and nail to avoid the drop.

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