While Tottenham have gained one of Serie A’s finest, they have lost the services of another. Antonio Conte, Inter’s Scudetto-winning manager, will be without Cristian Romero, who was voted the best defender in the Italian top flight last season, after the first major setback of his reign.
The Argentine, who was sent off in Conte’s first game in charge against Vitesse Arnhem and is suspended for Thursday's clash with NS Mura, suffered a hamstring problem on international duty. “We're waiting for another scan,” said Conte. “Honestly, I think his injury is serious. I don't know now the time he needs to recover.”
As this is the first of 12 matches in 38 days, it means Spurs are set to be without the centre-back for perhaps the busiest stretch of their season.
Conte was expected to be given money to spend in the winter transfer window even before Romero was sidelined but he claimed: “In this moment I am not thinking about January because there is still a long way to go.” But Romero was likely to be one of Conte’s pivotal players. He flourished for Atalanta in a back three, a system the Italian has introduced with Tottenham.
Conte’s determination to get an understanding of his demands among his new charges has meant he has only made two alterations to his starting line-up within his first three games, both enforced. Now he will rotate to have a look at others in the squad, while trying to avoid the mistake his predecessor made.
Nuno Espirito Santo left his first XI in London when Spurs travelled to Arnhem. They lost, with a second-string side performing poorly and feeling alienated, while the rested regulars were then beaten by West Ham three days later.
Conte will take a different approach, even though their Slovenian opponents are pointless in the Europa Conference League. “All the players available will come with us and they must be ready to play,” he said.
Tottenham v Leeds player ratings
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TOTTENHAM RATINGS: Hugo Lloris – 7, Was never going to stop James’ goal, with the 24-year-old just needing to poke in Harrison’s cross. Forced to keep out another shot from James just after the break. Getty Images -
Japhet Tanganga – 6, In for the injured Cristian Romero. Fairly quiet display but got on with his job with no trouble. Off early in the second half mere seconds before Spurs’ second goal. PA -
Eric Dier – 7, Launched a lovely ball over the top for Davies to run onto as Spurs hunted for a second. Had his deflected free-kick hit the woodwork, which landed in the path of Reguilon to net his first for the club. EPA -
Ben Davies – 6, Continues a run in the side, having been out of favour under Nuno Espirito Santo but rarely saw the ball in a dominant first half for Leeds as James enjoyed the right wing. Could have given Spurs their second of the game when he broke through Leeds’ defence, but was off balance as he hit a tame effort. EPA -
Emerson Royal – 6, Struggled in the first half to deal with Harrison on the wing and was beaten by the former Manchester City man for Leeds’ opener. Booked. EPA -
Harry Winks – 6, Was handed his first start since September and given a chance to impress under Conte, with Oliver Skipp suspended. Put in a great challenge on Harrison in the first half as Leeds looked for the opener. AFP -
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – 7, Continued as a reliable starter for Spurs, despite concerns of him carrying a knock going into the game. Sat deeper than he would have liked but got his side on level terms in the 58th minute with a great strike to beat Meslier. EPA -
Sergio Reguilon – 8, The Spaniard would have likely angered his manager with his decision making in the final third. But lively in both halves. Produced a lovely ball to Moura in the box ahead of Hojbjerg’s goal. Made amends by slotting in Spurs’ second and his first goal for the club. Getty Images -
Lucas Moura – 8, Gave his side their first bit of inspiration to wake up a crowd subdued by Leeds' dominance early on, but often found himself dispossessed going forward. Delivered a lovely throughball for Kane to run onto just after half-time. Did well to keep alive Reguilon’s ball for Spurs’ equaliser. Largely a positive influence in his team’s attacks. EPA -
Harry Kane – 7, Didn’t see much of the ball during the opening stages and left isolated but when given the chance in the 18th minute, he tied together some good passes to work Spurs into the game. Ran onto a delightful ball from Moura just after half-time but unable to convert with Meslier covering his near post. EPA -
Son Heung-min – 6, Absent for the first 20 minutes but produced a lively, encouraging run just after to give Spurs their most promising attack. Had a chested-down deflected shot hit the bar and a storming run end in a shot going clearly wide of Meslier’s goal. Getty Images -
SUB: Davinson Sanchez (for Tanganga 68’) – N/R Made his first appearance since September, having been reduced to warming the bench recently. PA -
SUB: Ryan Sessegnon (for Reguilon 79’) – N/R Made the bench having carried a knock in recent months and given a run out under Conte as he hopes to force his way into his new boss’s thinking. Read Winks’ ball well but had his cross miss everyone. PA -
SUB: Dele Alli (for Moura 88’) – N/R Given a little run out as he hopes to be given a chance under his new boss. PA -
LEEDS RATINGS: Illan Meslier – 6, Largely spent the first half leaving the defensive work to his backline and did well to force Kane out as Spurs looked for an equaliser. Alert when needed. Couldn’t stop a poacher's finish by Reguilon. EPA -
Stuart Dallas – 6, Could have easily got his side ahead early on with Lloris having to push his long range shot wide. Supplied some good balls in for the frontmen but couldn’t make a lot happen. AP Photo -
Diego Llorente – 6, Could have caused trouble for his team having stopped a Spurs counter, only to help the ball into Son’s path but mostly did well to keep Son quiet for most of the game. AFP -
Liam Cooper – 7, Key in stopping Spurs’ attacks in the first half. Read Dier’s long ball well as he looked to help Kane open the defence. Produced a brilliant tackle to stop Moura. Booked. AP Photo -
Pascal Struijk – 7, Produced a crucial sliding last ditch tackle to keep Kane from kickstarting his goalscoring campaign and worked more into the game during the second half. PA -
Kalvin Phillips – 8, Forced an early save from Lloris with a dangerous free-kick at the near-post. Dropped deep and essentially became a defender when Spurs were on the front foot and launched Kane’s unbalanced shot away in the 22nd minute. Largely handcuffed to his fellow Englishman. Massive tackle to deny Reguilon’s stomping run into the box. Massive interception to stop Kane on the counter attack. Booked. Getty Images -
Daniel James – 7, Lively in forcing Spurs to defend and did well as part of a largely young attacking force and broke the deadlock with his first goal of the season after great work by Harrison. Getty Images -
Adam Forshaw – 7, Saw his shot from outside the box go narrowly wide of Lloris’ post just before the half-time whistle. Booked for yanking Kane repetitively in the middle of the park. Getty Images -
Mateusz Klich – 6, Came in for Raphinha who was ill but was largely non-existent and was the man to make way for Firpo following Spurs’ equaliser. Getty Images -
Jack Harrison – 7, Lively on the wing as Leeds dominated the opening stages. Beat Emerson and produced a great cross for James to net his first of the season. PA -
Joe Gelhardt – 7, One of a number of academy stars in Marcelo Bielsa’s matchday squad and looked full of energy during his full Premier League debut. Forced Lloris to parry a shot away early in the second half. Produced some lovely skill which was blocked by Kane in the box. Booked for a late tackle on Dier. Getty Images -
SUB: Junior Firpo (for Klich, 59’) – 5, Made his return from injury after Leeds conceded from Hojbjerg. Getty Images -
SUBS: Tyler Roberts (for Forshaw 72’) – N/R Came on as Leeds looked for an equaliser; Stuart McKinstry (for Gelhardt 87’) – N/R Made his Premier League debut in the closing stages. AP Photo
Conte believes his famously tough training sessions have tired some of his players while others are feeling the effects of their efforts with their countries and added: “For sure I will make the rotation because personally I need to know much better the players.”
One he hopes to see more of is Ryan Sessegnon, who made his first Premier League appearance for 22 months as a substitute against Leeds on Sunday. “Ryan has great potential,” Conte said. “He’s very young with great space for improvement.”
With Ben Davies lining up in the back three, the 21-year-old looks the alternative to Sergio Reguilon in the new shape. “The formation is perfect for me,” Sessegnon said. “Left wing-back is probably where I'm most comfortable playing.”
Marginalised under Jose Mourinho, loaned out to Hoffenheim last season and hit by injuries, he added: “This could be a chance to kickstart my career. It has been stop-start since I've been at the club but never did it cross my mind that I thought I'd have to leave permanently.”
Conte is without the injured Giovani Lo Celso but there could also be opportunities for Dele Alli, who has only played two minutes in his reign, and Tanguy Ndombele, who has been limited to 23.
In contrast, Harry Kane has begun all three matches without getting his first goal under his new manager. He benefited from Conte’s arrival in a different respect when Alessandro del Piero, Juventus’ record scorer and a former teammate of the manager, visited Tottenham’s training ground this week. “We are talking about two world-class strikers,” Conte said. “It was good for Harry to see Alessandro and also Alessandro wants to see Harry.”
Kane scored a hat-trick against Mura in September and could be summoned again as Tottenham look to overhaul Group G leaders Rennes. Fail to win the pool and they face an extra round in February. “For us, this competition is important,” Conte said. “We want to take seriously this fixture and we want to go through to the next step.”
