Maurico Pochettino will stick with the same team selection policy for the Europa League and FA Cup, despite Tottenham Hotspur’s involvement in the Premier League title race.
There are incorrect theories that head coach Pochettino must change his ways to maintain a title push, amid calls for him to rest more players in the Europa League and FA Cup this week, with Tottenham due to face Fiorentina and Crystal Palace in the space of four days.
But the numbers actually support Pochettino’s belief that his more subtle changes throughout the season are the perfect approach to the busy schedule.
Mauricio Pochettino (centre) looks delighted after Tottenham's win at Man City
And while Arsenal will potentially make bigger changes in their FA Cup tie against Hull City, the Gunners will field full-strength teams in both legs of their Champions League last-16 tie against Barcelona, while Spurs can afford to shuffle their pack for the Fiorentina matches.
• The 10 games that will decide Premier League title race
Pochettino is once again expected to rotate his full-backs through the next two games against Fiorentina on Thursday night and Palace on Sunday. Left backs Danny Rose and Ben Davies have started 18 games each this season, with right-back Kyle Walker making nine more appearances than Kieran Trippier.
The first-choice pairing of Walker and Rose have made a combined total 41 starts, which is 19 fewer than Arsenal duo Hector Bellerin and Nacho Monreal, and the same as Leicester City pair Christian Fuchs and Danny Simpson.
Rose alongside Walker have made 41 appearances this season
Pochettino, like Pep Guardiola, places a huge importance on his full-backs and their ability to get up and down the pitch, which is why he rotates them more than any other position. Trippier scored a vital winner against Watford, but it was Walker who helped Spurs win at Manchester City.
Tottenham’s central defensive partnership of Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld had played 60 games before Vertonghen’s injury, which is two more than Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker.
Kevin Wimmer has stepped in to replace Vertonghen and will add considerably to his nine starts over the final months of the season.
While question marks are often raised over how much football striker Harry Kane is asked to play by Pochettino, it is actually Eric Dier who has started the most games this season.
Dier has started most games for Spurs this season
Dier has started 35 times, mainly in midfield, and may have to step back into defence in one of the forthcoming cup games to give Alderweireld a rest, as Pochettino will not want to risk and injury to his other first-choice centre-back.
Teenager Dele Alli has made 24 starts, two less than Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey, while playmaker Christian Eriksen has started two fewer games than Mesut Ozil. Mousa Dembele, who has been one of Tottenham’s best performers, has been afforded plenty of rest – starting 20 games, the same as Arsenal’s injured midfielder Santi Cazorla.
There is every chance that Kane will start on the substitutes’ bench for one of the next two games, although Tottenham’s supposed over reliance on the 22-year-old actually only equates to him making three more starts than Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud. The Frenchman has also appeared eight times as a substitute, with Kane stepping off the bench in four games.
Midfielder Nabil Bentaleb has only made nine appearances this season and is likely to be involved in one or both of the Fiorentina and Palace ties, along with Tom Carroll who has played in 23 games in all competitions. Ryan Mason, who has barely featured this term following last season’s breakthrough campaign, is now fit again.
In total, Pochettino has used 26 players, three less than Arsenal and the exact same number as Premier League leaders Leicester, who have the luxury of not being involved in any cup competitions.
Striker Jamie Vardy has started 26 games for the Foxes this season, with key men Riyad Mahrez and N’Golo Kante both starting 24.
The 10 games that will decide Premier League title race
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