Two legendary managers will be in the dugouts for the late Sunday kick-off between Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Antonio Conte and Marcelo Bielsa will match wits with each other for the first time in what will be a truly fascinating tactical battle.
Italian Antonio Conte has made no secret of his admiration for Marcelo Bielsa. He revers the Leeds United boss so much he attended a 2015 Masterclass that was run by the Argentine. Some of the biggest managers in the game famously admire Marcelo Bielsa with none other than Pep Guardiola once said he was “the best coach on the planet.”
Antonio Conte will have to put all niceties to one side when the whistle blows for the kick-off as his Spurs side desperately needs a win. And a shot on target. They have gone 4 hours in a row without troubling an opposition goalkeeper in the Premier League this season.
Tottenham v Leeds United FYIs:
Kick-off time: 4.30 PM GMT, 21 November Sunday
Tottenham Team News: go here
Premier League Preview Pod: go here
Form Guide (All Competitions): Spurs (LWLWD) Leeds (LDLWD)
It is too early in Conte’s reign for him to have a favoured starting xi, but I am going to test the accuracy of my crystal ball and see if I can’t figure out what the starting lineup looks like for this match.
One of the few starters I am truly confident about is in goals. Frenchman Hugo Lloris will almost certainly be Spurs custodian. The gap in class between him and Pierluigi Gollini is a little too vast for my liking and, for that reason, Lloris remains the first choice in the Premier League.
Conte will probably stick to his favoured three-man central defensive set-up.
Eric Dier will anchor the defence again and Ben Davies should be to his left. With Cristian Romero doubtful for this one, it’s the right-sided centre-back that is tricky to predict. I’m going to go with Davinson Sánchez. He is the strongest option from the defensive stocks available.
Emerson Royal and Sergio Reguilon will continue to enjoy a little more attacking freedom, as they are almost certainties to line up on either flank in the wing-back position.
With Oliver Skipp missing via suspension, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg will need a new partner in the centre of midfield. I had a hard time deciding who to go for here, but I ended up landing on Gio Lo Celso.
I’m not totally sold on that pick, Harry Winks could do a job in that position too.
For the record, though, I am backing the Argentine to be part of the central midfield pivot. The front three just about pick themselves with Lucas Moura, likely to line up on the right, Son-Heung Min to start on the left-wing, and Harry Kane is the man tasked with scoring the goals.
He could do with a couple of goals in the league for Tottenham.
He quadrupled his tally for Tottenham in fifteen minutes for the Three Lions during the international break.
Tottenham Hotspur must win. And I believe they will. And I think Harry Kane will score the winner.