Ahead of Tottenham Hotspur’s upcoming match against West Ham United, Dan Kilpatrick has indicated that 24-year-old Emerson Royal is poised to be dropped from the starting lineup.
Emerson Royal, who has started the last two games for Spurs, is expected to make way for the return of Cristian Romero, who is back from suspension.
The Brazilian’s recent starting opportunities came due to the team’s injury concerns.
The absence of Micky van de Ven and Emerson Royal resulted in Postecoglou starting Ben Davies and Royal in central defense for their last two games.
However, Romero’s return is expected to relegate Royal back to the bench, likely partnering Ben Davies with the Argentinean at the backline.
Dan Kilpatrick of the Evening Standard confirmed Royal’s potential exclusion, stating:
“Emerson is expected to drop out on Thursday night, with the left-footed Davies likely to partner Romero at centre-back – and presumably with enough common language to communicate on the pitch.”
Royal who has been preferred as a makeshift centre-back over Eric Dier was seen struggling against City, being caught out several times only to be saved by Haaland’s poor finishing.
His future at the club remains uncertain with The Times journalist Tom Allnutt claiming that he may not have a future under Ange Postecoglou unless he finds himself confined to a backup role at the club.
Speaking on The Tottenham Way, Allnutt claimed that Royal’s discomfort in playing out of position and the indications within the team dynamics might suggest a limited future for him at Spurs.
