Tottenham prepares young goalkeeper for match

Tottenham's Brandon Austin might debut against Newcastle United due to a team illness outbreak.

'Tottenham' manager Ange Postecoglou is set to rely on Brandon Austin for the match against 'Newcastle United', with first-choice shot-stoppers Guglielmo Vicario and Fraser Forster sidelined. Postecoglou grapples with numerous key player injuries like central defenders Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero ahead of the significant Premier League face-off this Saturday.

The injury predicament at the club has been compounded by a reported illness outbreak, and reserve goalkeeper Forster is among several who have fallen ill this week. Sidelined players include Richarlison, Mikey Moore, Ben Davies, Van de Ven, and Romero, while Postecoglou confirmed Destiny Udogie is out for six weeks, with several others reportedly unwell too.

First-choice keeper Vicario is expected to be out until March following ankle surgery, and with Forster ill as well, Postecoglou seems likely to lean on Austin. The 25-year-old joined 'Tottenham' in 2007 after stints with Watford and Chelsea but has yet to make his first-team debut for the North London club.

Austin spent the second half of the 2019/20 season on loan at Danish team Viborg FF and played for Orlando City in the MLS between January and June 2021. He has been on the bench 15 times this term and sources suggest he could debut against 'Newcastle' this Saturday, with reports confirming Forster's illness along with several of his Tottenham teammates, positioning Austin as the likely candidate for this pivotal Premier League encounter.

This presents a tremendous opportunity for Austin to prove himself to Postecoglou, especially given Forster's underwhelming performance in Vicario's absence. If Austin showcases proficiency with the ball at his feet against Newcastle's high press and avoids serious errors, the Australian coach would have no reason to reinstate Forster.

'Tottenham' enters Saturday's clash in dire form, having won just one of their last seven league matches, placing them in the 11th spot in the Premier League. 'Newcastle', meanwhile, is soaring, coming off a commanding 2-0 victory away to Manchester United. With so many 'Tottenham' players unavailable, this could be a formidable challenge, with Eddie Howe's side well-positioned for a strong statement win.