Tottenham star with incredible 132 touches and 96% pass completion on Tuesday should be recalled vs Arsenal
Kevin Danso was on top form as Austria booked their place at the World Cup on 18 November with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina – and simultaneously gave a nudge to his club manager.
Kevin Danso has been praised by Thomas Frank at Tottenham for his excellent work rate and application both on the pitch and in training.
Danso stepped up in Cristian Romero’s absence earlier this season and showed that he has what it takes to one day become a mainstay in the Spurs starting XI.
The 27-year-old’s showing for Austria in the November internationals exhibited his high ceiling, which could leave his club manager with a selection headache.
Danso delivers defensive masterclass to seal Austria’s World Cup place for first time since 1998
The number four was outstanding for Ralf Rangnick’s side as they did enough to top Group H and qualify for the World Cup next summer.
The Lilywhite was in impressive defensive form, racking up nine clearances and making six recoveries to keep the Bosnians out as much as possible.
Moreover, Danso was incredibly accurate with the ball, completing 110 of his 115 passes with a 96 per cent accuracy rate as the Austrians dominated possession.
| Selected stats vs Bosnia and Herzegovina (18 November) | Kevin Danso |
| Minutes played | 90 |
| Clearances | 9 |
| Recoveries | 6 |
| Duels (won) | 8 (4) |
| Touches | 132 |
| Passes completed (%) | 110/115 (96%) |
The ex-RC Lens man touched the ball 132 times and was only dispossessed on six occasions, reflecting his due care looking after the ball.
Huge Arsenal test awaits Tottenham with league form remaining inconsistent
In their last Premier League outing, Tottenham drew 2-2 with Man United in a dramatic affair, continuing their shoddy home form this season.
Spurs next take on league leaders Arsenal in the North London derby as they look to capitalise on their rivals dropping points against Sunderland before the international break.
Mikel Arteta is set to be without the injured Gabriel Magalhaes, which could prove pivotal in the Lilywhites taking advantage of the Gunners’ gaping hole at the back.
Danso’s long throws could be called upon against Arsenal as Frank looks to beat the Spaniard at his own game on set-pieces, exploiting a weaker defence than normal in the Brazilian’s absence.
He has had only 258 Premier League minutes this season but should get the chance to add to that, and maybe even be granted a surprise start against Tottenham’s bitter rivals.