Tottenham rookie Oliver Skipp is set to be named in the squad to face Barcelona tonight (Wednesday) after being omitted from the Under-19s side this afternoon, according to a reliable journalist.
Football London’s Spurs correspondent Alastair Gold reported on his personal Twitter account that Skipp’s absence from the youth-team Champions League clash against Barcelona should pave the way for his inclusion in the senior 18 for the first time.
Oliver Skipp being left out of this U19s team this afternoon should mean he's part of tonight's squad in some form, hopefully as the 18th man and on the bench. That was one of my predictions for tonight's squad. Agree with the rest? https://t.co/PqlKeg6YDN
— Alasdair Gold (@AlasdairGold) October 3, 2018
The highly rated young midfielder, 18, has earned rave reviews for his performances at youth-team level but has yet to be named in the senior squad or make his first-team bow.
Brandon (c) Hinds, TJ Eyoma, Lyons-Foster, Brown, Bowden, Oakley-Boothe, Markanday, Maghoma, Bennett, Richards. pic.twitter.com/E6V4PNKHjK
— Lilywhite Rose (@Lilywhite_Rose) October 3, 2018
OPINION
Spurs rising star Skipp has been touted over the last 12-18 months as a player with the potential to not only break into the first team but stay there. Harry Winks was the last academy product to establish himself in the first XI, with the likes of Josh Onomah, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Luke Amos and Marcus Edwards unable to take the next step from immense promise to bona fide senior status. As is often the way, an injury crisis has opened the door for Skipp, with star men Christian Eriksen, Mousa Dembele, Jan Vertonghen, Serge Aurier and Dele Alli all ruled out of the Barcelona clash as well as this weekend’s fixture against Cardiff City. With Winks in contention to start in midfield, possibly alongside Eric Dier or Victor Wanyama, there is space on the bench for another central midfielder. Luke Amos’ shattering knee injury, confirmed today, means Skipp is next in line and he faces the biggest moment of his fledgling career.