Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Tottenham team news: Predicted XI vs Brighton as Son Heung-min returns for Spurs
Express Sport runs you through our Tottenham predicted XI as the north Londoners host Brighton today.
Tottenham Hotspur host Brighton today as they continue their bid to qualify for Champions League football next season. Spurs have won six of their past seven home league games against Brighton although they lost their last encounter 4-2 at the American Express Stadium in December. Here, Express Sport takes a look at the team Ange Postecoglou is expected to field for the game which could include the returning Son Heung-min.
Goalkeeper - Vicario
Guglielmo Vicario has been a stalwart for Tottenham this season and is expected to maintain his starting place between the sticks. There is an argument to be made that the Italian shot-stopper has been the signing of the summer after making the switch from Empoli for £17.2million in June.
He tops the Premier League post-shot expected goals minus goals allowed chart - the metric that measures how likely a goalkeeper is to save a shot, with plus 5.5 - and has barely put a foot wrong for Spurs.
Defence - Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie
Postecoglou's strongest back four are all fit so a defensive line made up of Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie should be fielded against Brighton. The Aussie has picked the same quartet for Tottenham's last four matches.
Midfield - Bentancur, Sarr, Maddison
There is more competition for places in midfield with Postecoglou left with the difficult decision to choose between Yves Bissouma, Pape Matar Sarr and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to anchor the centre of the park.
Bissouma has been absent for Spurs since he was sent off against Nottingham Forest nearly two months ago. An accumulation of injuries, suspensions and AFCON have left him watching on from afar. As a result, it is more likely he will come on off the bench with Sarr the next best option to start. James Maddison and Rodrigo Bentancur are both fit so will start just ahead of him.
Don't miss...
Man Utd chief Jim Ratcliffe's stance on sacking Ten Hag at end of the season [LATEST]
Liverpool have no 'silver bullet' Klopp plan as 'Boehly approach' weighed up [LATEST]
Greenwood could stop Man Utd signing Toney as Ten Hag eyes striker [LATEST]
Attack - Kulusevski, Son, Richarlison
Postecoglou has confirmed that Son will be back in action on Saturday following his return from the Asian Cup. Discussing Bissouma and Son's conditions after international duty, he said: "Yeah, they’re good. Obviously, Biss had a bit of a longer trip but Sonny played and they had a pretty tough tournament with a lot of extra times and late finishes.
"But both trained today and both are in good spirits." Son should start down the middle if fully fit with Timo Werner expected to make way in the front three. Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison are the most likely duo to be picked on either side of him.
Tottenham predicted XI vs Brighton in full: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bentancur, Sarr, Maddison; Kulusevski, Son, Richarlison.
Injuries: Lo Celso, Solomon, Sessegnon