Rodrigo Bentancur will be hoping to make a start for Tottenham at Newcastle(Image: Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

Postecoglou makes single team change at St James Park - Tottenham predicted XI vs Newcastle

Here is the Tottenham team we reckon Ange Postecoglou will select to face Newcastle United in the Premier League in Saturday's early kick-off

by · football.london

Ange Postecoglou could make a couple of changes for Tottenham's match at Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday.

Spurs have the opportunity to put the pressure on Aston Villa in the early lunch-time kick-off at St James' Park on Saturday, with Unai Emery's side playing at Arsenal on Sunday. To do so, Tottenham have to succeed at the scene of their most embarrassing defeat in recent years.

Almost a year ago, under Cristian Stellini, they slumped to a woeful 6-1 defeat, with Newcastle scoring three times in the first nine minutes and netting five within 21 as the visitors collapsed. Under Postecoglou, Spurs did gain some revenge this season with a 4-1 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

This meeting at Newcastle will bring a different encounter with Eddie Howe's side likely to be far fresher than they were that day amidst a brutal run of fixtures and an injury crisis, with Spurs also suffering from the latter.

Postecoglou must decide whether to start with his two half-time changes that turned the match against Nottingham Forest - Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Rodrigo Bentancur - or stick with Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr, who played well against Newcastle in the game earlier this season.

The Spurs boss must also decide whether to bring Dejan Kulusevski back into the team. The Swede has created more chances for Tottenham than any other player in the squad this season but has been out of form in recent weeks. Richarlison remains out with his knee injury.

Here's the team that we reckon the Australian will select:

Goalkeeper - Guglielmo Vicario

The Italian will be hoping to have a better day than Hugo Lloris did at St James' Park last year.(Image: (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images))
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Right-back - Pedro Porro

The Spaniard scored last weekend and Tottenham could do with another creative performance from him.
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Centre-back - Cristian Romero

Like Porro, the Argentine played in that horror show just under a year ago and will want to exorcise those demons.
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Centre-back - Micky van de Ven

His first game against Newcastle and he'll be looking to make his mark.(Image: Andrew Kearns - CameraSport via Getty Images)
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Left-back - Destiny Udogie

The Italian scored in the reverse fixture between the teams and will be looking to do so again.(Image: Mark Leech/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
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Central midfield - Rodrigo Bentancur

The Uruguayan looked good in the second half on Sunday against Nottingham Forest and could get in ahead of Sarr as he did at West Ham. Sarr was excellent against Newcastle in December so this is one of the two toughest choices in the team.(Image: (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images))
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Central midfield - Yves Bissouma

Bissouma played well against Newcastle earlier this season and although he struggled on Sunday and Hojbjerg has done well when called upon, Postecoglou might just keep looking to the future and the Dane does not seem to be part of that.(Image: Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images)
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Central midfield - James Maddison

Spurs could do with some magic from Maddison against the team who also wanted to sign him last summer.(Image: (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images))
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Right wing - Brennan Johnson

The Wales international has been in good form in recent weeks and will be looking to continue that.(Image: MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Centre forward - Son Heung-min

The Spurs captain has consistently contributed and he played in that horror show a year ago so will want to erase that from his memory.(Image: Chloe Knott - Danehouse/Getty Images)
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Left wing - Timo Werner

The German was excellent against Nottingham Forest and deserves to keep his place in the team.(Image: Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)
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