Tottenham in the defensive midfield
Last season with two defensive midfielders playing most matches and over time the team ran out of steam. So far this season, Santo has employed but one defensive midfielder and that has been Skipp in the Premier League and Harry Winks in the Conference League.
Neither Skipp nor Winks have the defensive range of Højbjerg but both know how to read the game relatively well and keep play in front of them. With the idea of breaking up play and recycling possession as the main goals, both Winks and Skipp can do the job for Tottenham. The one other player to keep an eye on in the deep midfield for Tottenham is going to be Nile John who may receive some real minutes in the Conference League.
At some point, particularly if some of the more offensive-minded midfielders start to click, Højbjerg could presumably take on the defensive midfield role. When the Dane was originally signed from Southampton that was part of his promise that he could serve as a one-man defensive midfielder allowing for more players to be dedicated to attacking.
Instead, we see that with a midfield three that backtrack and a back four that maintain position, Højbjerg can move up the pitch and show off his all-around game. Ultimately, Højbjerg is probably the best of the defensive midfielders but he is also really good box-to-box, so he has thus far played in a more advanced role.