Team news: Pochettino hints Sissoko could start at right back vs. Brighton

Team news is out, and it’s more of the same — Tottenham Hotspur still has two players (Giovani Lo Celso and Ryan Sessegnon) that are still unavailable for selection against Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend, though the good news is that they continue to inch closer and closer to health and fitness. Serge Aurier will miss this match after picking up two yellow cards last weekend.

The other major question as Spurs head to the south coast to try and snap their away losing streak is who’s going to play at right back. Aurier’s suspension could mean any number of things, including Kyle Walker-Peters, Davinson Sanchez, Juan Foyth, or Toby Alderweireld.

However, Mauricio Pochettino hinted in his pre-match press conference that it might be the last person who played in that role in the Premier League — Moussa Sissoko.

“A few options [at right back]. I think Moussa was very good playing one hour against Southampton with tough players like Boufal or Redmond. He did very well and that made me think a little bit that his option is bigger than another player.”

Sissoko was indisputably good in his cameo appearance at right back against Southampton, and he does have skills that could serve him well in that position, especially against a team like Brighton that doesn’t have the most frightening of attacks. It would, however, be curious that Pochettino would seemingly prefer Sissoko over an actual healthy right back in Walker-Peters.

Sissoko at right back could then have a ripple effect in midfield. Poch also hinted that some players who played both Saturday and Tuesday could be rested before the international break — that could mean that Harry Winks, who was called up to the England squad along with Harry Kane and Danny Rose, could start the match on the bench, potentially making room for Eric Dier’s first league start of the season.