Spurs predicted XI for return: £25.7m man given a chance, 23-year-old on bench

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Tottenham Hotspur are back in action on Friday night as the Premier League returns after a three-month hiatus.

Jose Mourinho’s Spurs host Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, both teams eyeing Champions League qualification.

Prior to the suspension of English football, Tottenham were in dire straits as injuries to key players threatened to derail their entire season.

Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, Moussa Sissoko and Steven Bergwijn were all on the sidelines, Mourinho was without a senior striker, and the whole team looked tired and unbalanced.

By the time the shutdown came, Spurs had gone six games without a win, out of the FA Cup and Champions League, and slipped to eighth in the Premier League.

Tottenham’s personnel situation is now much improved, with Kane, Son, Sissoko and Bergwijn back to full fitness.

However, it’s not quite a clean bill of health and availability – Dele Alli is banned for one match, while Japhet Tanganga is reportedly recovering from a stress fracture to his back.

Giovani Lo Celso hasn’t featured in either of the internal training sessions nor in the friendly against Norwich City, so it remains to be seen whether he’ll be available.

As for Troy Parrott, he recently underwent appendix surgery and may be lacking fitness at present.

So who could make Mourinho’s first starting XI back?

In goal, captain and first-choice goalkeeper Hugo Lloris all but certain to start, barring any late fitness issues.

The experienced pair of Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld could be given the nod to face the tough United front line, with Serge Aurier the team’s best right-back option at present.

While Ryan Sessegnon is a good shout on the left thanks to his attacking nous, Mourinho could play it a bit safer and opt for Ben Davies instead.

Spurs are still well covered in midfield despite Alli’s absence and question marks over Lo Celso’s fitness.

Eric Dier could be tasked with keeping Bruno Fernandes at bay and protect the defence, with Moussa Sissoko coming back to start alongside him and help the team push forward from midfield.

This would mean 23-year-old record signing Tanguy Ndombele would have to make do with a place on the bench.

The rarely seen £25.7m man, Erik Lamela, could replace Alli in central attacking midfield, for only his 11th Premier League start of the campaign.

Bergwijn and Son would be either side of him, and Kane is all but certain to lead the line once again.

Predicted Tottenham starting XI: Lloris; Aurier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies; Dier, Sissoko; Bergwijn, Lamela, Son; Kane