Richarlison is back in action just in time for Tottenham Hotspur as the Lilywhites lock horns with Arsenal, in a highly-anticipated north London derby at the Emirates Stadium tomorrow evening.
After suffering a hamstring injury during Spurs’ emphatic 4-1 victory over Aston Villa on November 3, the Brazilian forward is primed to take to the field again.
His absence has been keenly felt. Richarlison’s relentless energy and attacking quality have been a massive miss.
At his press conference today, manager Ange Postecoglou shed light on Richarlison’s recovery journey.
Postecoglou said (via the THFC website): “It’s just good to get Richy back.” “Just having an extra attacking player, with him and Mikey (Moore) available now makes such a difference in what we can do during games, between games, in terms of the way we play.
“We’ve taken our time with Richy this time, for sure. He’s been harassing me for the last 10 days to be involved, but we’ve tried to stay disciplined with that, and he’s looked really good in training. He looks like he’s ready to go, so really happy to get him back involved.”
Richarlison’s last appearance saw him assist Dominic Solanke in Spurs’ third goal against Aston Villa before his unfortunate injury.
His return injects much-needed depth into Spurs’ attacking arsenal. Moore impressed in the win over Tamworth and could get a cameo against the Gunners.
Spurs remain without key players, including Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven, and Rodrigo Bentancur.
Should Richarlison’s return affect the move for Randal Kolo Muani?
Tottenham reportedly submitted a loan offer for transfer target Randal Kolo Muani. However, with Richarlison back in action, it begs the question – does the club really need the Paris Saint-Germain forward?
With Moore and Richarlison fit and ready to go, signing the Frenchman might be a bit of an overkill when there are more pressing gaps in the ranks.
Spurs have not been linked with a new defender or defensive midfielder, areas where they need reinforcement. The move for Kolo Muani, as talented as he is, might be a luxury one.