19-year-old Brazilian starts! Predicted Tottenham lineup to face Arsenal as Igor Tudor begins reign

Here is how Tottenham could line up against Arsenal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It is a baptism of fire for new interim Tottenham Hotspur boss Igor Tudor as he locks horns with Arsenal tactician Mikel Arteta in a much-anticipated North London derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

Sitting 16th in the Premier League table, the Croatian’s immediate priority is to help Spurs escape the relegation battle that they are at risk of getting embroiled in. He has started taking training sessions at Enfield since the start of the week, telling the boys to keep “excuses away” and “give something more” from now on until the end of the campaign.

However, Igor Tudor couldn’t have asked for a tougher maiden challenge against Arsenal. Mikel Arteta’s side will cross the divide on the back of a 2-2 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux on Wednesday evening. The Gunners failed to extend their lead at the summit to seven points, and the manner in which they dropped points against the worst team in the league should give the Tottenham players confidence of stunning them at home.

That said, here is how Tottenham could line up against Arsenal.

Goalkeeper: Guglielmo Vicario

Guglielmo Vicario should retain his place in goal. He will need to be at his best to keep a clean sheet against Arsenal.

Defence: Archie Gray, Radu Dragusin, Micky van de Ven

Tudor is expected to set up Spurs in an aggressive, high-pressing 3-4-2-1 formation. As Cristian Romero is suspended and Kevin Danso is injured, Radu Dragusin and Micky van de Ven are set to feature in a three-man defence.

Dragusin will slot in as the central figure, with Van de Ven operating on the left. Joao Palhinha was operating as a right-sided centre-back in the last few games under Thomas Frank, but Tudor could opt for Archie Gray to perform that role. The new interim boss will want his backline to play a high line and squeeze the pitch as much as possible.

Midfield: Djed Spence, Joao Palhinha, Yves Bissouma, Souza

Joao Palhinha and Yves Bissouma should operate in a double pivot, tasked with protecting the backline and recycling possession. The duo have to be aggressive and smart to combat Arsenal’s midfielders.

Tudor’s system has a lot of emphasis on the wing-backs. Djed Spence and Souza are expected to feature as the wing-backs, and Tudor will encourage them to stretch the field and destabilise the opposition’s press. Spence and Souza have to bomb up and down the flanks to cause problems for the visitors.

Attack: Xavi Simons, Conor Gallagher, Dominic Solanke

Xavi Simons is nailed on to start as one of the two No.10s. This role as an inside forward could get the best out of the Dutchman, allowing him to get into half spaces and hurt Arsenal. With Palhinha and Bissouma acting as holders, Conor Gallagher will get a platform to crash into the box and use his attacking instincts. Him and Simons should get chances to have a pop at Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya.

Tudor likes to have a physically dominant presence up top, and Dominic Solanke provides that profile. He is expected to spearhead the Tottenham attack, with Randal Kolo Muani, who flourished under Tudor on loan at Juventus last season, limited to an appearance on the bench.