Spurs v Brighton combined XI revealed ahead of huge top four six-pointer with just three Tottenham stars making the cut
IF you’d been down the pub in August and forecast Harry Kane would be Spurs’ ONLY shoo-in among a combined Tottenham-Brighton XI, your mates might have thought you’d had one too many.
Yet, going into the final stretch of the season and based on this term’s performances alone, you could justifiably make that case.
Roberto De Zerbi has taken the games of Solly March, Kaoru Mitoma, Moises Caicedo and more to another level since arriving at the Amex in October.
Victory in North London on Saturday could move the Seagulls to within a point of their hosts, with two games in hand.
Many fans are hoping De Zerbi is sitting in Spurs’ home dugout next season.
He is one of the names in the running to become Antonio Conte’s permanent successor.
For now, though, De Zerbi is focused only on taking Brighton into Europe for the very first time.
But, as this line-up suggests, his current team may already boast more quality…
Jason Steele – Brighton
Goalkeeper is the toughest spot to pick because none of the four candidates make a strong case.
Spurs skipper Hugo Lloris has struggled for form and fitness and although Fraser Forster fared well while the Frenchman was out injured, Lloris was straight back in when fully fit.
De Zerbi surprisingly dropped Robert Sanchez last month and 32-year-old Steele has justified the call with some impressive displays — so he gets the nod.
Pascal Gross – Brighton
Not a right-back by trade but the German has been stellar when deployed on the right of a back four.
Honourable mentions for Spurs’ Emerson Royal — who had a great spell in February when he was nominated for Premier League player of the month but is currently injured — and January signing Pedro Porro while Brighton’s 34-year-old Joel Veltman looks a bargain at £720,000 from Ajax three years ago.
Lewis Dunk – Brighton
Only Gareth Southgate knows how the Seagulls skipper cannot get in the England squad.
De Zerbi called him one of the best defenders in the Premier League while former boss Graham Potter rated him his best player during his time at the Amex.
Dunk, 31, is having another fine season, taking his technical skills to new heights. A must.
Cristian Romero – Spurs
Who partners Dunk is a tougher question.
Levi Colwill, 20, has impressed on loan at Brighton from Chelsea but he has only played 14 games while Adam Webster’s season has been a bit stop-start.
Eric Dier showed good form for Spurs earlier in the season, earning an England recall and going to the World Cup.
But Dier has dipped so World Cup-winner Romero gets the call because on his day he is a magnificent defender — even if he is a walking red card on off days.
Pervis Estupinan – Brighton
Selling Marc Cucurella for £62million and bringing in the Ecuadorian for a quarter of the price is another unbelievable bit of business.
Cucurella brought composure and versatility but Estupinan adds even more threat going forward.
Moises Caicedo – Brighton
There is a reason Arsenal were willing to spend up to £70million on Caicedo in January — and a reason why Brighton would not sell.
The Ecuadorian, 21, is one of the finest midfield prospects in world football and signed a new deal in February and looks an even better player for Brighton than Yves Bissouma, who they sold to Tottenham last summer.
Rodrigo Bentancur – Spurs
Arguably Spurs’ player of the season behind Kane until his knee injury in February.
Playing in Conte’s two-man midfield is not easy — just ask Bissouma — but the Uruguayan made it look so with his classy technique, relentless energy and crunching tackles. Notched an impressive six goals, too.
Solly March – Brighton
In hindsight, Potter did not fully appreciate March’s talents, playing him mostly at left wing-back.
March did a job there but those talents have been unleashed by De Zerbi.
Playing on the right wing, the Lewes lad has revelled in the spaces created by De Zerbi ball, regularly racing in behind as he did for his winner against Crystal Palace last month.
Seven goals since the turn of the year, a new contract and in the reckoning for England.
Alexis Mac Allister – Brighton
It would have been easy for Mac Allister to drop off like Lionel Messi has at Paris Saint-Germain following Argentina’s World Cup triumph.
Instead, he has come back from Qatar an even better player who, like Gross, has the intelligence to play in multiple midfield positions and brings a goal threat, too.
Kaoru Mitoma – Brighton
Seized Son Heung-min’s crown of best Asian player in the Premier League this season with an unbelievable campaign.
While Spurs’ beloved South Korean has gone stale since winning last year’s golden boot, Japan star Mitoma has seven goals and four assists in his last 15 league games.
Harry Kane – Spurs
Evan Ferguson, 18, is a terrific prospect and already doing damage in the Premier League.
But Kane is one of the division’s most consistent goal- getters — even if the backlash to his reaction to being hit in the face by Abdoulaye Doucoure on Monday showed he is not universally loved.