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Hoddle: Winks should start Champions League final

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Glenn Hoddle has suggested that Mauricio Pochettino should start Harry Winks in Tottenham’s Champions League final clash with Liverpool.

The £50,000-a-week midfielder [Spotrac] has been out since early April with a groin injury, but Hoddle believes that his manager should trust him in the match in Madrid anyway.

Speaking to Football.London, he said: “Harry Winks is a bit different.

“I think we probably might need a central midfielder if Dier doesn’t play and play well I think Harry Winks would be interesting to start.

“I think I would probably take the risk on him if he’s ok. His injury problem is a big risk but if he was fit I think that’s the area we need someone to get on the ball.

“He’s not the finished article by any means but he’s improving every season and I think he keeps the ball for us and allows us to have that shape where we can slide balls in.”

OPINION

This is a big call from Hoddle, but you can understand his logic. When he is fit, Winks is an integral part of this Spurs team. It is only by virtue of the fact that he has been sidelined for so long that including him represents any kind of risk at all, but the reality of the situation is that his fitness will likely be very touch and go. If that is the case, then do you gamble on a player that has played just 21 minutes since March? This is the biggest game in Spurs’ recent history, and they are treading a very fine line between playing their best players and playing the players who are in the best position to help them. Pochettino will know better than anybody about the virtues of playing somebody like Winks, but unless he can guarantee that the 23-year-odl is ready for the rigours of the biggest game in club football, he should bench him.

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