Tottenham Starting XI vs Southampton: Confirmed team news and predicted lineup | OneFootball

Postecoglou Eyes Smart Rotation as Tottenham Host Southampton

Focus on Europe Shapes Spurs Selection

With Eintracht Frankfurt looming large on Thursday in the Europa League quarter-finals, Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou is expected to shuffle his pack for Sunday’s Premier League clash against Southampton. Priorities are shifting — not because Spurs are abandoning domestic ambition, but because the continental stage demands it.

Photo: IMAGO

Micky van de Ven, Heung-min Son and James Maddison are likely to be handed rests. Son, in particular, has carried the burden of creativity and sharpness for much of the season, and the manager knows better than to risk him unnecessarily. Djed Spence, recovering from illness, is also set to be preserved for the trip to Germany.

Opportunities for Fringe Players

Pedro Porro, rested in the narrow 1-0 defeat at Chelsea, is expected to return at right-back. Ben Davies, the reliable lieutenant, could step in at centre-half in place of Van de Ven.

Midfield tweaks also seem inevitable. Yves Bissouma’s recent trend of early substitutions points towards a possible start for Lucas Bergvall, who lasted only an hour at Stamford Bridge. Alongside him, Pape Matar Sarr is tipped to add dynamism and industry.

In attack, Brennan Johnson and Mathys Tel are in line to feature, with Richarlison also back in contention after a muscle injury. Youngster Mikey Moore is knocking at the door too, adding further intrigue to the attacking mix.

Injuries and Manager’s Reflections

Postecoglou remains without Dejan Kulusevski (foot), Kevin Danso (hamstring) and Radu Dragusin (knee), but offered reassurance after Thursday’s setback: “We are a little bit beyond that as the group is in a decent place physically where I don’t have to get players gametime. As I said, it is about getting some momentum leading into the game on Thursday. We will make a couple of changes but we won’t make too many.”

Southampton’s Warning from December

Spurs thrashed Southampton 5-0 at St Mary’s in December. But Sunday brings different context, altered line-ups and European priorities. For Tottenham, momentum now matters just as much as points.

Predicted Tottenham XI (4-3-3): Vicario; Porro, Romero, Davies, Udogie; Bergvall, Bentancur, Sarr; Johnson, Solanke, OdobertInjured: Kulusevski, Danso, DragusinKick-off: 2pm BST, Sunday 6 April, 2025Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, LondonHow to watch: Not on TV in UK

Word count: 317 wordsSEO Keywords: Tottenham, Southampton, Europa League, Postecoglou, Premier League