Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Football London
Football London
Sport
Emma de Duve

Antonio Conte's five Tottenham players who provide a selection headache after Leicester victory

Antonio Conte may now have to make some welcome decisions regarding his starting line-ups, after some of the performances at the King Power Stadium on Wednesday.

Tottenham beat Leicester in a 3-2 victory that they grabbed in the final seconds of the fixture on Wednesday, after two Steven Bergwijn goals.

The win has taken Spurs to fifth in the Premier League, a point and place ahead of Arsenal and with one game in hand over their north London rivals.

There were some solid displays from individual players but the game saw fight from all 11 of those on the pitch and Antonio Conte didn't hide his feelings on the touchline.

The Italian made three substitutes during the game, with the first being Matt Doherty after half-time, before Giovani Lo Celso and Steven Bergwijn came on inside the final 15 minutes of the tie.

After some produced impressive displays, football.london takes a look at the five players who may now cause the Spurs boss a selection headache in future fixtures.

Steven Bergwijn

An obvious is the match winner, with the Dutchman showing the impact a substitute can have, something Tottenham have been lacking recently.

The 24-year-old made his ninth Premier League appearance of the season and his two shots were the goals that got Spurs some much needed points.

In Conte's favoured 3-4-3 formation and with Bergwijn being unavailable due to injury for large spells of the season, it has often been a forward line of Lucas Moura, Harry Kane and Heung-min Son.

However, with Son's absence and the Dutch internationals return, Bergwijn got his chance to impress and he didn't disappoint.

It will be interesting to see if the forward can continue to thrive, when given game time, and more importantly what happens when Son returns.

Davinson Sanchez

Sanchez has faced a lot of criticism this season, as he has made a number of mistakes that have led to goals, but since Conte's arrival and Cristian Romero's absence, the Colombian has made a real step up.

Sanchez first stepped in when the Argentine picked up an injury on international duty and played alongside Eric Dier and Ben Davies.

Now Dier is suffering with his own injury, the Colombian has been given the nod to move into the middle of the backline, with Japhet Tanganga filling the right centre-back spot.

Although the Colombian hasn't produced perfect displays, he has shown that he is able to deal with much of what is thrown at him during games.

Against Leicester, he did lose James Maddison for the Foxes' second goal but also made two key passes and five clearances.

When the injured duo return it will be difficult for Sanchez to make his case for a spot in the starting line-up, but if he continues to improve under his new boss, Conte may still look to the Colombian.

Davinson Sanchez has been playing in the centre of defence, in Eric Dier's absence. (Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)

Harry Winks

Winks is another player who has received a lot of criticism in recent times, for his sideways passing and losing the ball in dangerous areas.

However, the 25-year-old has been another player who has made a step up under Conte and not just with the defensive part of his midfield role.

Winks made four key passes against Brendan Rodgers' side, provided four crosses and three accurate long balls, showing his impact on the Tottenham attack too.

He also picked up an assist, with a nice ball over the top for Harry Kane's goal and it was an impressive night for the Spurs academy graduate.

Pierre Emile Hojbjerg

Hojbjerg has played in 18 of Spurs' 19 Premier League games so far this season, often alongside Oliver Skipp and he has become a key player and leader in the middle of the field.

In the last couple of matches, the Dane has seen a slight drop in form but against Leicester, Hojbjerg looked back to his old self with two crosses and 89.4 per cent passing accuracy.

The 26-year-old also contributed at both ends of the field as he blocked a late Harvey Barnes chance and played a solid ball to Matt Doherty in the build-up to the equalising goal.

When Conte plays with his favoured 3-4-3 set-up, it has been Winks, Hojbjerg and Skipp who have been competing for the two spots in central midfield.

Winks seemed to be making a case for why he should potentially replace Hojbjerg and play alongside Skipp, but the Dane is a key leadership figure and with his improved performance on Wednesday, he has made a good case for keeping his spot in the starting XI.

Matt Doherty

Doherty has probably been one of the most criticised players this season and some of it has been warranted, with a lack of impact in a position he has had previous experience in while at Wolves.

The Republic of ireland international played as a left wing-back against Chelsea which didn't work in his favour, as he continuously had to make the predictable move of cutting in on his right foot.

However, against Leicester Doherty was back on his strong side and produced a solid 45-minute display, doing much of what Emerson Royal has failed to do.

The 30-year-old not only made four key passes but also had two shots on goal, highlighting his impact with Tottenham's attack.

The Brazilian has been playing his part defensively but just hasn't found that impact in attack, meaning Doherty could be giving Conte something to think about with his selection for upcoming fixtures.

All five players made a case against Leicester for why they deserve a chance to start in Tottenham's upcoming fixtures and it will cause Conte to ask himself some questions before selecting his line-up for Spurs' next game, which is another trip to Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.