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Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is considering giving 17-year-old winger Mikey Moore his full Premier League debut against Crystal Palace, especially with captain Son Heung-min “unlikely” to feature due to ongoing fitness concerns.
Moore impressed in his second start for Spurs during Thursday’s 1-0 win over AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League, catching the eye of his teammates. James Maddison humorously likened Moore’s performance to that of Brazilian star Neymar, highlighting the young player’s potential.
With Son still recovering from muscle soreness reported earlier in the week, Postecoglou has not ruled out Moore’s involvement against Palace. “He is ready to start any game,” Postecoglou stated. “But I just feel, especially with young players, you need to be really careful with their introduction into senior football.”
Postecoglou acknowledged Moore’s limited experience last season due to injuries, saying, “Even last year, he didn’t really have a full season of football. He had quite a few injuries, a couple of which kept him out, and he went from playing under-18s football to very little under-21s football before we integrated him. You have to look at that.”
He added, “I think he is still physically growing, and you take that into account. I think he’s ready to start a Premier League game, for sure.”
The absence of Son, who recently returned from a hamstring injury, has created an opportunity for Moore to shine. Postecoglou had initially hoped Son would be fit for the match but expressed doubts on Friday: “Sonny is still not right or feeling 100 percent. He won’t train today, so it’s unlikely for the weekend, and we’ll see how he is beyond that.”
The competition for the left-wing spot may come down to a contest between Moore and Timo Werner, despite the latter’s struggles in front of goal. After Werner was substituted at halftime against AZ, Moore switched from the right wing to his preferred left side, making several impressive runs.
Postecoglou is optimistic about Moore’s future but emphasizes the importance of keeping the young talent grounded. “The plan is to continue to develop Mikey in the right way and give him a platform to keep improving. So far, whatever we’ve asked of him, he’s made a real impact. I just hope to be his manager in four years’ time.”
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