Tottenham Hotspur ended a dismal run of form in the Premier League with a convincing 4-1 victory over Newcastle United last weekend, but must now follow this up with a big performance at the City Ground against Nottingham Forest.
Despite losing four times in that period, also drawing against Manchester City, Ange Postecoglou's side have benefitted from an electric start to the campaign and remain just three points off Pep Guardiola's fourth-placed side.
With Forest manager Steve Cooper under fire after his team's own struggles, the hosts will be desperate to secure a statement victory to wipe away the malaise, so Postecoglou will need to get his selection right to prevail.
Tottenham team news vs Forest
Tottenham's mountainous injury list is slowly shrinking, with Pape Matar Sarr and Heung-min Son both starting last weekend after different injury concerns; Richarlison also scored twice from centre-forward after a period of convalescence following groin surgery.
However, James Maddison, Micky van de Ven and Rodrigo Bentancur remain long-term absentees, meaning Spurs' squad remains without three essential components.
While Tottenham's fragile squad precludes heavy rotation, the win over Newcastle highlights the riches that can be reaped from the current crop.
Brennan Johnson's season in numbers
One player who might return to the bench is Brennan Johnson, who has recently come into his own over recent weeks after signing from Forest for £47.5m in the summer.
Perhaps Postecoglou will opt to unleash him on his former stomping ground, but with Richarlison bagging a brace last time out and Son posting a goal and assist apiece back on the left wing, it's unlikely that the Australian will disrupt such freshly braided harmony.
While Johnson has started four Premier League matches in succession, three of such appearances coming from the right, this has been to accommodate the shifting of Dejan Kulusevski to the No. 10 position.
Principally a right-sided winger, Kulusevski has started every league fixture this season and it's unlikely that that will change tonight; the Swede brings so much energy and creativity to the team.
Johnson is very talented and has even been described as a "nightmare" for opposition defenders by content creator HLTCO, but Tottenham will need to control the flow of what will be a fiery encounter against the Tricky Trees, and Kulusevski should move back out wide.
This would allow space in the centre for Giovani Lo Celso to reclaim a starting spot, with his skill set perfect to solve the task ahead.
Why Giovani Lo Celso must start vs Forest
Lo Celso was an outcast at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before bagging twice in as many games for the Lilywhites in recent weeks, having spent the past 18 months on loan with Villarreal.
The 48-cap Argentina international signed for Spurs from Real Betis for a staggering £55m fee back in 2019, but he's never quite acclimatised to the Premier League and was even branded a "flop" by The Athletic's Jack Pitt-Brooke.
The £70k-per-week ace has proved his worth in Maddison's absence this season though, scoring against Aston Villa and then Manchester City, starting three of the past four league clashes.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Passing
Finishing
Ball retention
Crossing
Defensive contribution
Aerial duels
Dribbling
*Sourced via WhoScored
Hailed as a "master of the last pass" by reporter Milena Gimon, Lo Celso ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, passes attempted and progressive passes, and the top 7% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.
This fantastic control and creativity in the centre of the park could be crucial for Postecoglou's squad in Nottingham, especially when buttressed by Yves Bissouma and Sarr in the engine room.
With so much at stake, Postecoglou must enforce the alteration, providing his team with the requisite control to subdue the cacophonous City Ground support and ensure that Tottenham take all the goods back to London.