Tottenham Hotspur player ratings from 2-1 win against Fulham

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LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 03: Rodrigo Bentancur of Tottenham Hotspur battles for possession with Andreas Pereira of Fulham during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 03, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images) /

Rating Spurs Midfield

Just as there were two changes in the back, there were two changes in the midfield as Rodrigo Bentancur came back from one game out and Ryan Sessegnon came back to the starting lineup.

Left-wing-back – Ryan Sessegnon – 7

Sessegnon was the starter for the first two games of the season and came off the bench in the next two matches. After not playing at all at West Ham, Sessegnon was back in the starting 11, with Ivan Perisic getting some rest. Against his former club, Sessegnon’s first touch let him down time and again, as he defended well but was just a fraction off in everything offensively. His foul throw had to be the lowlight of the match for Sess. He was better in the second half and was denied by Leno several times. Ultimately, Sessegnon’s industry paid off with a fortunate bounce he pounced on and then passed to Kane for Spurs second. He was denied a second assist at 90 minutes by a VAR offsides call.

Central-midfield – Rodrigo Bentancur – 7

After getting knocked in the head against Nottingham Forest, Bentancur missed out on the midweek squad. While it was good to see the first start from Yves Bissouma, it was clear that Bentancur’s contributions were more than meets the eye. Spurs were not nearly as fluid or stable in the middle of the pitch without the Uruguayan on the field. Bentancur looked normal, running hard to press when Fulham had the ball and working to recycle play across the pitch. Rodrigo looked sluggish in the second half and picked up a yellow card for kicking the ball away after a poor foul.

Central-midfield – Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – 8

After taking a spill toward the end of the first half against West Ham and then going down early in the second half, there were likely some questions surrounding Pierre Hojbjerg and his ankle. However, when the team sheet came out, it was Hojbjerg again on it, and he showed why Conte favors the Dane so much. Whether it was playing a little chip into the box, breaking up a Fulham counter, or scoring a goal, Hojbjerg did it all on Saturday for Spurs.

Right-wing-back – Emerson Royal – 6.5

Although many fans seem to want to see a change in this position, it continues to be Emerson Royal starting at right-wing-back. Royal is one of the fittest players on the team, and he puts in a shift getting up and down the flank. Emerson was omnipresent in the first half, attacking the ball to win it back, with one occasion leading to the goal. However, his final ball was off, leaving many frustrated. Royal was up and down the flank again in the second half but saw no reward for his efforts.