Tottenham Starting XI that will win at Everton Friday in EPL
By Aaron Coe
![LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 11: Jose Mourinho, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur looks dejected as he is interviewed by media following the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11, 2021 in London, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images) LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 11: Jose Mourinho, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur looks dejected as he is interviewed by media following the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11, 2021 in London, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/7a97a80a3e395b2bf791d2ac8cc1edbc7f76bfe4b1da365c6954cf9ddb27372d.jpg)
Tottenham Midfield
With a true two-striker system, something has to give elsewhere and that means having four midfielders in a classics 4-4-2 formation. The one other interesting feature of this line-up is we have given in to the request here at HoptspurHQ and moved Son to the right. Again this is not our projection of Mourinho, rather this is the team we want to see as we think it will win.
Lo Celso – Left-outside Midfield
Playing on the left outside of a true midfield is not something we have seen much of from Giovani Lo Celso here at N17. However, it is pretty close to the position he plays with Argentina. The idea is to get out of this inverted winger craze, which more often than not slows the Tottenham attack. Putting Lo Celso out left so he can run and dribble is worth a look.
Ndombele – Central Midfield
Tanguy Ndombele looked good for a half against Newcastle in a true two-man midfield. Ndombele is another of the Tottenham players who loves to dribble but needs space to do it. When Ndombele is in a more holding role as a pair behind another midfielder – and Harry Kane – the space is limited as is Ndombele’s effectiveness.
Højbjerg – Central Midfield
Pierre Højbjerg has been mostly steady for Tottenham this season. Early in the campaign, Højbjerg was particularly effective on the ball and Tottenham benefited from it. As the season has worn on and the Dane has received basically no rest, his performances have diminished. Ideally, Højbjerg sits as the lone deep midfielder but his limited passing range makes that difficult leaving Spurs with him and Ndombele as the best bet they have.
Son – Right-outside Midfield
Yes, Heung-Min Son is a left-wing but for all the reasons we have already written about, we want to see Son on the right. We have also written about the lack of service this season, which can be partially remedied by putting Son on the right where he is more likely to get more crosses off. Simply having the option to push ahead and run with pace past someone on your strong foot would be productive and hopefully, we see it Friday.