Tottenham return to Premier League action next weekend with a trip to Manchester United. Roberto De Zerbi’s men badly need a win, as they sit bottom of the table after drawing two and losing three of their opening five games. United have won only once themselves, so Old Trafford should be a tense occasion.
Michael Carrick may get a lift ahead of Saturday’s match, with Carlos Baleba possibly available for the first time. The midfielder joined from Brighton in a £70million deal in August but has yet to play a competitive game because of an ankle injury picked up in pre-season. The 22-year-old was on the bench for the 1-1 draw at Fulham just before the international break and has since kept building his fitness at Carrington.
On Friday, Baleba finally played his first minutes in a United shirt, in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Swiss side Lausanne-Sport, a sister club of United. He lined up alongside first-teamers such as Harry Maguire and Matheus Cunha, and the game was an important step after weeks on a tailored training programme.
United reportedly won 2-1. Because most senior players were away on international duty, several youngsters also featured, including Carrick’s son Jacey, Amir Ibragimov, Yuel Helafu and Victor Musa, along with Diego Leon and Enzo Kana-Biyik. Carrick has recently said Baleba is working hard to return as soon as he can, and it now looks like he could be involved against Spurs.
De Zerbi has his own fitness worries. Jan Paul van Hecke injured a toe on Netherlands duty this week and is back at Hotspur Way while the damage is assessed. Dejan Kulusevski, meanwhile, is getting closer to a matchday squad return after more than 500 days out. The Swede has been sidelined since May last year with a complicated right knee patella injury and has trained with his team-mates again this week.
De Zerbi is due to update the media on Van Hecke and Kulusevski next week, and Spurs will hope both are fit enough for the squad to face United.
