Spurs must now unleash Dejan Kulusevski

Tottenham Hotspur will be desperate to build upon last weekend’s Premier League victory today with a win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, but their mid-week loss remains a stark reminder of the fragility of this squad.

The unpredictable nature of the Lilywhites has meant top-four remains out of their hands given Newcastle United’s two fewer games played, and their inconsistency could end up costing them the only prize they genuinely have a good chance of acquiring: Champions League football for another season.

Would you start Kulusevksi today?

Yes

Vote

No

Vote

Their FA Cup exit at the hands of Championship opposition stung, and Cristian Stellini will likely order a cull of that weakened squad which saw the likes of Harry Kane and Dejan Kulusevski drop to the bench.

They sacrificed a potential trip to Wembley in favour of their league position, and now they must attain it.

Both of these aforementioned stars could be recalled, with the latter’s inclusion arguably even more important than his sharpshooting teammate given the dynamism the gem offers and the press in which he often leads.

Will Dejan Kulusevski start for Spurs?

Given the respective performances of both Richarlison and Lucas Moura, the two Brazilians did little to stamp their claim for another starting spot for this weekend.

Meanwhile, the Swedish speedster is enjoying another season laden with creativity, where he already boasts five assists alongside his 1.7 key passes per game. For comparison, Moura can only muster 0.1 key passes per match, and Richarlison just 0.7.

This means that Cristian Stellini does not have another wide option as creative as Kulusevski to call upon, which is why the ex-Parma forward is such a key component in the side.

He seems set to emulate to his blistering six months from last year, where he scored five and assisted eight in just 18 league matches – proving his quality at Premier League level. 

His impact and subsequent crossing ability were in turn lauded by journalist Nizaar Kinsella, as he wrote on Twitter: “Kulusevski’s crossing is ridiculous. We’ve all seen that inswinger before”.

The £110k-per-week gem actually ranks in the top 4% for assists per 90 when compared to other wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days.

But it is his work rate that makes him truly irreplaceable, as he makes 1.5 tackles per 90 and wins possession once per game (via Sofascore), which means that the maestro can help out Emerson at the other side of the pitch. 

If Stellini strives to give himself the best possible chance of a win today, Kulusevski must feature alongside Kane to improve Spurs’ chances of securing all three points.