Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham: The Players In The Key Clashes This Weekend

Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham: The Players In The Key Clashes This Weekend
14:03, 15 Aug 2018

A game that exhibits a marked contrast between sides that experienced completely antithetical transfer windows as Fulham take the short trip north to to take on Tottenham Hotspur this weekend.

The promotion from the Championship lead Fulham on a flurried frenzy in virtually being now able to field an entirely new team, with big money signings being the reward for their return to the Premiership after four years. Only Chelsea and Liverpool spent more this summer.

Spurs on-the-other-hand purchased absolute zilch, the first time a club has not brought anyone new to the team in a summer in the history of the Premier League.

Both teams, who go up against each other in the second game of the new season at Wembley, are prone to producing fluid, attack-minded football, often to their detriment and the meeting is sure to be a scintillating encounter.

Though Crystal Palace brought the Cottagers firmly back down to terra firma on opening weekend, they are operating with swag under manager Slaviša Jokanović and his counterpart Mauricio Pochettino should approach the fixture will caution.

Furthermore Spurs won just once last season- in the North London Derby- when referee Anthony Taylor mediated their three matches, and with Taylor taking charge of the game on Saturday, the Lilywhites may be feeling slightly on edge.

The Sportsman picks out the three key battles to watch out for come 3pm Saturday.

Christian Eriksen v Jean Michaël Seri 

Last weekend, Jokanović fielded six of Fulham’s brand-spanking new acquisitions, and while the selections didn’t obviously bear fruit, one player who is likely to keep his place is the Frenchman Jean Michaël Seri, who was arguably the most impressive player in white on Saturday.

Incredibly, just a year ago, Seri was on the verge of moving from Ligue 1 side Nice to FC Barcelona. It’s therefore considered quite a coup that the Cottagers acquired the defensive midfielder this summer.

If Seri thought Crystal Palace was a baptism of fire to the Premier League, then his next task- to shackle the splendiferous Christian Eriksen- should be considered him christened with lava. Eriksen continuously sizzles for Spurs as one of the most underrated players in the division.

In the two matches he’s featured against Fulham, he’s helped orchestrate a 3-0 and a 3-1 win. 

Whilst Seri might not be able to do much about containing the threat posed by the Dane’s superb set-pieces, Seri will need to be cautious that he’s not too rambunctious to concede free-kicks in deadly areas.

Ryan Sessegnon v Kieran Trippier

Serge Aurier took Trippier’s place at right-back in their opening victory over Newcastle, with the English hero deemed “not ready to play’ by Pochettino. 

Wunderkind Sessegnon is gagging to make an impact in the top tier of the English league and is likely to give Trippier a torrid time on his first match back after an eventful summer. 

Trippier will need to adjust back to life in the Premier League quickly, going up against one of the hottest prospects in English football marauding down the left.

Aleksandar Mitrović  v Jan Vertonghen

Everyone knows Harry Kane doesn’t do August. The Englishman has failed to score in the opening month since breaking into the Spurs side four seasons ago, and no-one wants to change this stat more than Tottenham’s talisman. 

Instead we’re concentrating on the key battle between Fulham’s main-man Mitrović going up against against Spur’s man-mountain Jan Vertonghen. 

Vertonghen was the unlikely hero last week opening the scoring over Newcastle. In the likely absence of his defensive partner and compatriot Toby Alderweireld for the foreseeable future, the weight is heavier on the Belgian’s shoulders; particularly with the precariousness of Dávinson Sánchez beside him.

Vivacious forward Mitrović turned his stay at Craven Cottage into a permanent one in the off-season following his twelve goal mission that helped send Fulham soaring and while he didn’t christen his return to the Premier League with a goal last week, Spurs fans will have vivid memories of the last two times the 23 year-old went up against them. 

A December 2-1 win at White Hart Lane for Mitro’s former team Newcastle was gifted in part from the Serb’s goal cancelling out Eric Dier’s opener. To exacerbate matters, Tottenham suffered a humiliating 5-1 loss to the Toon again- who had then already been relegated- on the final day of the 2015/16 season. Mitrović imposed himself on the match for all the right and wrong reasons; scoring a powerful header before earning himself a straight red. The result allowed Arsenal to pip them to second and allow the Gunners to celebrate St Totteringham’s Day once again.

You can follow the match live with The Sportsman using the link below.

Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham kicks off at 3pm on Saturday 18th August.

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