Steven Bergwijn is not part of Tottenham Hotspur’s selection for the league match against Southampton. The reason for the attacker’s absence is unknown; this season Bergwijn, if he was fit, always belonged to the group of players. Lucas Moura is also not there: according to journalist Jonathan Veal of PA Sports he gets rest. The away game against Southampton starts on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
Bergwijn played eight games in the Premier League this season, five of which as a substitute. He didn’t score yet. Bergwijn did score a goal and an assist last Wednesday in the EFL Cup match against West Ham United (2-1 win), in which he had a starting place. On Sunday he was allowed to participate as a substitute for 27 minutes in the league match against Crystal Palace (3-0).
Football zone has made inquiries with Bergwijn’s management, but has not yet received a response about the reason for his absence. Tottenham’s line-up includes some changes from the Crystal Palace game: Dele Alli replaces Lucas Moura, Harry Winks replaces Oliver Skipp and Ben Davies is preferred to Japhet Tanganga.
Tottenham’s coach Antonio Conte said on Monday that Bergwijn is “improving every day”. “He also shows me that he can be a good option,” Conte said. Partly because of this, it is striking that Bergwijn is missing in the last competition match of the year. He has been in the explicit interest of Ajax, among others, for a long time, but Sky Sports reported last week that the attacker’s future lies in London. Ajax already officially signed up for Bergwijn at the beginning of December and Sevilla and some French and German clubs would also be angling for his services.
Southampton lineup: Forster; Valery, Bednarek, Salisu, Walker-Peters; Armstrong, Ward-Prowse, Diallo, Perraud; Long, Armstrong.
Tottenham Hotspur line-up: loris; Sanchez, Dier, Davies; Emerson Royal, Winks, Hojbjerg, Reguilon; alli; Kane, Son.