Tottenham team confirmed vs Auckland as De Zerbi selects Williams-Barnett and exciting youngsters

Here’s the Tottenham team that Roberto De Zerbi has selected to face Auckland FC in the first game of their summer pre-season tour

Roberto De Zerbi has named a young Tottenham team to face Auckland FC on Sunday.

The Italian had to factor in Tottenham’s long-haul flight into his thinking as it took Spurs almost 30 hours to fly across to the other side of the world for their first tour to New Zealand in more than 50 years. In his press conference on Saturday, De Zerbi had hinted that he would be cautious with his team line-up with such a quick turnaround after his players had undertaken such a long journey.

“The most important thing is to play a serious game, for sure, and don’t take risks for the injuries because it was a very long trip. We are at the beginning of the season. We have a lot of players who suffered too many injuries last season, and we have to be serious on the pitch,” said the Italian.

Tottenham take on Sydney FC and Chelsea on Wednesday and Saturday respectively in Australia after taking the shorter trip across from New Zealand.

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Seventeen-year-old talent Luca Williams-Barnett starts in the number 10 role with fellow academy product Mikey Moore on the left and Manor Solomon, the oldest player in the side on the right with Dane Scarlett up front.

Archie Gray is the only recognisable first team starter in the XI as he partners Jamie Donley in the centre of the pitch while Kota Takai gets to start in central defence with Malachi Hardy. Midfielders Tye Hall and Rio Kyerematen both take on the full-back roles.

Here’s the team De Zerbi has selected:

Austin, Tye Hall, Hardy, Takai, Kyerematen; Donley, Gray; Solomon, Williams-Barnett, Moore; Scarlett. Subs: Dubravka, Gallagher, Richarlison, Tel, Fernandes, Davies, Tyrese Hall, Russell-Denny, Melia, Yang, Ajayi, Byrne, Tingey.