Tottenham are gearing up for their clash with Everton, hopeful of continuing their charge up the Premier League table.
Spurs currently find themselves fourth in the division, following a run that includes three wins, one draw and one loss in their last five. It’s a heavily congested top five though, with second to fifth only separated by just three points.
If Ange Postecoglou is to get the Lilywhites back into the Champions League, then a scrap for every point will be necessary. The Australian coach was boosted by a few returns in the midweek win over Brentford, with Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and James Maddison all back from injury.
The January window has also been and gone, bringing in Radu Dragusin and Timo Werner to the squad before the deadline passed on Thursday. Attention will now turn towards the rest of the campaign with the set of players available.
A trip to Goodison Park to take on Everton is next, with Tottenham looking to make a top-four push by inflicting more pain on the relegation-threatened side. With that said, here’s a little look at the latest things spotted in training ahead of the huge clash.
First-team absences
The clips appeared to show a lack of usual first-team players training on Thursday, most notably those that played against Brentford on Wednesday. It seems as though they were given a rest the day after to ensure they’re fresh for the match on Saturday.
A surprise Tottenham penalty taker
Perhaps one of the most interesting clips shown by Tottenham’s official social media from training was that of Emerson Royal taking penalties. The full-back displayed a surprising ability to put away the chances with a stuttering run-up comparable to that of Bruno Fernandes.
The Brazilian wasn’t just consistent from the spot though, as he also scored an acrobatic effort that displayed the attributes of a seasoned striker. Royal has scored once in the Premier League this season from 16 appearances and, given the way Postecoglou likes his full-backs to play, there could be more on the horizon.
Radu Dragusin… the goalkeeper?
One clip showed off new signing Radu Dragusin trying his hand at being a goalkeeper, with one dramatic punch out of the box from a cross. If Spurs are ever need an outfielder to take up the gloves in a match, then they could have their man.
Crossing drills
Crossing drills appeared to take up some of the time in training ahead of the match, which may play a part against Everton. The Toffees are strong aerially and will look to bat away anything that comes into the box.
Low deliveries shown in the training drills, as well as some whipped crosses, may be the key to unlocking them in the box.
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