Tottenham Hotspur might have struggled through a testing period over recent weeks, but Ange Postecoglou and his squad will be in good spirit after defeating Newcastle United 4-1 last time out in the Premier League.
Returning to winning ways after a five-match skid, Spurs remain just three points off fourth-placed Manchester City after 16 matches, owing to a resounding start to the campaign that placed the London club in pole position after ten games.
But having taken three points against the Magpies, Tottenham must now travel to the City Ground to face against Nottingham Forest in what will be a competitive and physical encounter.
Football FanCast predicts that Postecoglou will enforce just one change following last weekend's success, with James Maddison, Rodrigo Bentancur and Micky van de Ven all still long-term absentees.
1 GK – Guglielmo Vicario
Guglielmo Vicario has been a revelation between the sticks for Tottenham, signing from Italian side Empoli for an initial £17m in the summer.
While Spurs have endured something of a collapse over recent weeks, the 27-year-old can still hold his head high after some impressive displays, having saved 71% of the shots faced in the Premier League.
2 RB – Pedro Porro
From the start of the season, Pedro Porro has been an absolute monster for Postecoglou, dynamic and deadly from the right side of the defence, having also made more tackles than any other defender in the division.
Player
Club
No. of Tackles
Joao Palhinha
Fulham
72
Yves Bissouma
Tottenham
47
Vinicius Souza
Sheffield United
46
Pedro Porro
Tottenham
46
Conor Gallagher
Chelsea
44
*Sourced via premierleague.com
As per Sofascore, the Spaniard has supplied five assists from 15 games, completing 81% of his passes and averaging 1.7 key passes, 3.1 tackles and 5.2 ball recoveries per match.
3 CB – Cristian Romero
Returning from a three-match suspension against West Ham United last Thursday, Cristian Romero has perhaps encapsulated his style across his two appearances.
Rising highest to turn Porro's corner home against the Hammers on a goalscoring return, the Argentine World Cup winner displayed his reckless streak against Newcastle, lunging and placing his studs on top of Callum Wilson's foot.
He was fortunate to escape a second dismissal of the campaign but boasts a ferociousness that will be crucial in negating Forest's attacking threat.
4 CB – Ben Davies
Ben Davies has impressed in his makeshift central defensive position over recent weeks, with his ball-playing crispness keeping Eric Dier out of the team despite van de Ven's injury.
He will start once again, instilling a sense of calm against a Forest squad that will be desperate to win after going five matches without victory in the English top-flight.
5 LB – Destiny Udogie
FootballJOE's Hunter Godson recently claimed that Destiny Udogie "gets into nearly every team in the world already", such is the brilliance of the Italian's performances since breaking into the first team this season.
Is there any more to be said? He's electric, powerful and penetrative, scoring his first goal for the Lilywhites against Newcastle last weekend. He will be a menace down that left channel tomorrow.
6 DM – Yves Bissouma
Yves Bissouma is enjoying a renaissance under Postecoglou's management, having only started 11 times in the Premier League last season.
As per FBref, the Malian midfielder ranks among the top 2% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 6% for successful take-ons and the top 7% for tackles per 90.
On his day, Bissouma is unplayable, and he will be expected to stifle the hosts' transitions with impressive power and precision.
7 CM – Giovani Lo Celso
Maddison's ankle injury was met with widespread dismay by Tottenham fans, but Giovani Lo Celso has taken the opportunity that presented itself in the England international's absence.
A stunning distributor of the ball, the £70k-per-week ace – who has been described as a "master of the last pass" by journalist Milena Gimon – will be integral in the centre of the park tomorrow, marrying creativity with composure to ensure that Forest struggle to stay in possession.
His introduction to the starting line-up would mean that Brennan Johnson's five-match starting streak would be snapped, but then the £47.5m summer signing – from Forest – is a lightning-paced presence and could be efficient off the bench.
8 CM – Pape Matar Sarr
Pape Matar Sarr returned and Tottenham Hotspur won. Coincidence? Certainly not. The Senegalese starlet, aged 21, started 11 of the opening 12 Premier League matches before a recent injury, but he returned with vigour last week.
Completing 87% of his passes, Sarr also made two key passes and won seven duels, making four tackles and just proving to be a bundle of bouncing joy for the goggle-eyed Lilywhites support.
9 RW – Dejan Kulusevski
Is there a more consistent performer than Dejan Kulusevski in this exciting Spurs squad? Porro might argue his case but then perhaps that's just a testament to the fluency and energy crackling down the right channel.
The Sweden international has posted four goals and an assist this season and has started every Premier League match, and he is the engine to charge the offensive success. He starts.
10 LW – Heung-min Son
Captain fantastic. Heung-min Son was shifted back into his natural role on the left wing as Tottenham trounced Newcastle but proved that he is rather brilliant wherever he plays.
With ten goals and four assists from 16 matches in the Premier League this season, the 31-year-old is certainly filling in for Harry Kane – sold to Bayern Munich in the summer after many years of prolific servitude – with aplomb, and will be instrumental in returning to European competition.
