---
title: "Tottenham: Rodrigo Bentancur backed to start against Arsenal"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tottenham-premier-league-rodrigo-bentancur-arsenal-news-updates/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Henry Jackson"
section: "Premier League News"
published: "2022-09-27T18:10:47Z"
modified: "2022-09-27T18:10:47Z"
---

# Tottenham: Rodrigo Bentancur backed to start against Arsenal

**[Tottenham Hotspur](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tottenham-hotspur-news/) midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur should start against Arsenal this weekend despite strong competition, [club insider](https://www.footballinsider247.com/tottenham-expert-on-rodrigo-bentancur-potentially-being-axed-after-huge-development/#:~:text=is%20according%20to-,Spurs%20insider,-John%20Wenham%2C%20who) John Wenham has claimed.**

### The Lowdown: Massive game ahead

Spurs have a massive game on the horizon on Saturday lunchtime as they make the short trip to the Emirates Stadium to take on the Gunners.

It is one of the biggest [Premier League](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league-news/) matches of the season so far, with Antonio Conte knowing that victory for his team will see them overtake their table-topping rivals.

The manager may have a few selection headaches going into the game, [not least in midfield](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/tottenham-hotspur/kadernachposition/verein/148), with Yves Bissouma and Oliver Skipp both hoping to feature.

### The Latest: Bentancur backed to start

However, speaking to [Football Insider](https://www.footballinsider247.com/tottenham-expert-on-rodrigo-bentancur-potentially-being-axed-after-huge-development/), Wenham backed Bentancur to get the nod in the middle of the park at the Emirates this weekend, having scored in the 6-2 thrashing of Leicester in Tottenham’s last match.

The Spurs insider, who regularly breaks news about the club on his [Lilywhite Rose](https://twitter.com/Lilywhite_Rose/status/1439119178980528128) social media channels – said:

> “It was brilliant to see Bentancur on the scoresheet. He doesn’t get many goals, he hadn’t scored in such a long time but he took the finish really, really well. He’s never even looked like scoring for Tottenham before that.
>
> “That’s fine though, he is a holding midfielder. We have other players to get the goals and we saw that with Son when he came on.
>
> “I just think Bentancur is such an important player. When he didn’t play against West Ham a few weeks ago we just didn’t look the same and, obviously, we couldn’t get the win in that one.
>
> “The goal helped his chances of staying in the side too. Bissouma is still chomping at the bit to be involved and we have Skippy coming back too.
>
> “So he has made a strong and huge case because, as I have said before, I think Skipp will come back in once he is fit.”

[Tottenham latest news!](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-news-3/)

### The Verdict: Makes complete sense

It is very healthy to have such strong competition for places in midfield, but it makes perfect sense for Conte to go with Bentancur alongside Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg against Arsenal.

Bissouma is still adjusting to his new surroundings, having [only started one league match](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/303096/Show/Yves-Bissouma) so far this season, while Skipp is lacking match fitness after returning from [injury](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/oliver-skipp/leistungsdaten/spieler/406638).

\[freshpress-poll id=”410176″\]

As Welham referenced, Bentancur was missed against West Ham as Spurs could only manage a 1-1 draw, while Cristian Romero has [described](https://thisisfutbol.com/2022/05/blogs/premier-league/tottenham-hotspur/tottenham-hotspur-news-rodrigo-bentancur-reaction-cristian-romero-display-spurs-fixtures-thfc-transfers/) his team-mate as an ‘animal’, and it would be a surprise if he didn’t take to the field from the start this weekend.

With a goal and assist against Leicester seeing him ranked as Tottenham’s second-best player that day according to [Sofascore](https://www.sofascore.com/tottenham-hotspur-leicester-city/MXpf), it would make perfect sense to keep him in the team for the crunch North London Derby.