Very Ruthless Tottenham star could be dropped after Postecoglou selection hint: Predicted XI v Ferencvaros
Tottenham Hotspur head to Budapest on Thursday for their second Europa League fixture against Hungarian champions Ferencvaros.
Coming off a 3-0 victory over Qarabag FK in their opening game, Spurs displayed resilience despite losing Radu Dragusin to an early red card.
Ange Postecoglou’s side held firm and secured a crucial win in a thrilling performance. The momentum continued over the weekend as Tottenham earned another impressive 3-0 victory, this time against Manchester United in a dominant display.
With their focus now shifting back to European competition, Postecoglou and his team face a tricky challenge in Ferencvaros.
Although the Hungarian side has been strong domestically, remaining undefeated in their league, their European campaign has faltered.
Ferencvaros crashed out of the UEFA Champions League qualifiers after a defeat to Midtjylland, and they opened their Europa League journey with a loss to Anderlecht.
Despite Ferencvaros’ struggles on the European stage, Spurs cannot afford to take them lightly. However, given Tottenham’s recent form and confidence, they will back themselves to secure a win on the road.
A second consecutive victory in the Europa League would put Tottenham in an excellent position to finish in the top-eight spot, which is now a target under UEFA’s revised competition format.
Spurs currently sit fifth in their group, and another win could propel them further up the standings, giving them a significant advantage as they look to progress.
Tottenham enters this match in excellent form, having won four straight games in all competitions. Their season took a hit with a loss to arch-rivals Arsenal, but since then, Spurs have bounced back with convincing wins over Coventry City, Brentford, Qarabag FK, and Manchester United.
The team’s attack has been firing on all cylinders, with Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski, and James Maddison all playing crucial roles in Tottenham’s resurgence.
Despite this strong run of form, Postecoglou will need to manage his squad carefully ahead of the Europa League clash.
With the Premier League campaign in full swing and several key fixtures on the horizon, rotating players could be vital to keeping the squad fresh.
One player who may miss the game is Micky Van de Ven, who has dealt with injury concerns in the past. Postecoglou took him off early in the match against Manchester United, acknowledging that the Dutch defender played more minutes than intended, especially after the physically demanding Qarabag encounter.
Van de Ven’s contribution to Tottenham’s recent success cannot be overstated. His incredible run of 56.1 meters in the opening moments of the Manchester United match set up Brennan Johnson’s goal, earning widespread praise.
Even former Manchester United defender Gary Neville described the run as “absolutely incredible,” highlighting how Van de Ven navigated through four United players to deliver the perfect assist.
Given the effort he put in during the win over United, Postecoglou may opt to rest the defender for this Europa League match, especially with bigger domestic battles looming.
Cristian Romero, who missed the Qarabag match due to suspension, is expected to return to the starting lineup and could partner with Ben Davies in central defense.
With left-back Destiny Udogie carrying a knock from the United game, Djed Spence might fill in as his replacement. Yves Bissouma, despite an inconsistent performance against Qarabag, is likely to feature in the starting eleven again.
However, Tottenham still faces uncertainty regarding the fitness of their captain, Son Heung-min, who remains a doubt for this fixture.
Guglielmo Vicario; Archie Gray, Cristian Romero, Ben Davies, Djed Spence; Yves Bissouma, Dejan Kulusevski, Lucas Bergvall; Timo Werner, Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson.
As Tottenham looks to build on their recent success, the clash against Ferencvaros presents an opportunity to maintain momentum. Should they secure another victory, Spurs will head into the international break in a strong position, both in Europe and domestically.