Tottenham Hotspur are back in Premier League action today, as they seek to claim the first league win of the Ange Postecoglou era with a clash against Manchester United.

How did Spurs play vs Brentford?

The Lilywhites are coming off the back of an admirable performance against Brentford, in which the points were shared in a 2-2 draw.

It was a spectacle for all who watched it, as many viewers were drawn to witness the first competitive game of the new, brighter regime in north London. They were not disappointed.

They enjoyed 70% of the ball and had 18 total shots, 12 of which were inside the box, via Sofascore. Amidst all the creation and attacking impetus, however, one disappointment did stand out.

Oliver Skipp looked considerably out of his depth, playing in a slightly different role to what he’s used to, before his 75th-minute substitution, and must not be allowed to start again if they are to claim an important victory in front of their home support.

Will Oliver Skipp start today?

Across a team that boasted an average rating of 7.24, the English central midfielder was their lowest performer as he struggled to keep up with the intensity, via Sofascore.

Postecoglou often prefers to employ two no.8s who are full of energy and attacking impetus, with the 22-year-old powerhouse far from matching the profile of a player able to star in such a role.

Whilst the options on the bench are hardly outstanding, perhaps someone like Pape Matar Sarr could be preferred despite his lack of experience, purely because he represents much more of a ball carrier with added bite than Skipp.

Within last Sunday’s clash, the former Norwich City loanee was passive and safe, in a team that had clearly been challenged to entertain.

His 95% pass accuracy represents more of a negative than it might seem on the surface, as he was decidedly uninfluential. He was also only successful in two of the six duels he competed in, via Sofascore.

The £40k-per-week midfielder had seen such failure predicted, as journalist Alex Crook noted back in April:

“I think they’ve got so many issues, Spurs. Skipp, probably not good enough if they want to get back to the elite level.”

Sarr, despite only featuring 11 times last campaign in the Premier League and being handed the final 15 minutes last week, has at least provided signs that he could offer far more than his teammate. After all, within that cameo he managed a 7.1 rating, buoyed by his 22 touches, 100% pass accuracy, one shot on target and sole duel won, via Sofascore.

Upon first joining, the former Celtic boss issued an important statement regarding his footballing philosophy:

“That’s meant we’re doing a lot less defending deep, a lot less defending in our box as a lot of our defensive work is further up the field. I think the players have just bought more and more into it. A lot of defensive work is around mindset, attitude and hard work.”

Having watched Skipp labour about the midfield against the Bees, it is clear that he might not be cut out for the role.

Against Erik ten Hag’s all-action Red Devils, where the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount represent a clear mismatch, he could get eaten alive.