MARTIN KEOWN: Micky van de Ven reminds me of a young Des Walker… the Dutchman is already an integral part of Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham

Pace is valuable for a central defender. Micky van de Ven has it in abundance and it is the key to Tottenham and their high line.

It’s a system that demands his qualities and gives him plenty of opportunities to turn, hunt and conquer.

Ange Postecoglou is unwavering in his desire to push players up the field. It never changes. They need Van de Ven’s speed to deal with counter-attacks and you can hear the crescendo of noise in the Tottenham stadium as Van de Ven uses his pace to come to the rescue. He is already a popular boy.

It is no coincidence that Tottenham’s win percentage plummets when he is not in the team.

Alongside a World Cup winner in Cristian Romero, he has been the one to set the standard in his debut season. As a young player I was also known for my pace. But I knew that it was no use being famous so quickly if I didn’t use it in the right way.

The Dutchman uses his lightning pace to great effect in Ange Postecoglou’s defence

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When you face speedy forwards like Van de Ven will against Newcastle today, particularly Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon, it’s the change of pace that can unlock you.

Since he often gets to the ball first when opponents play it into the channel, I haven’t seen him exposed too many times in one-v-ones where the attacker attacks you, stops and then breaks out of the blocks. Let’s see how he does today.

There are some areas where Van de Ven can improve. I feel he could be more commanding from crosses where Tottenham are collectively not the best at defending set pieces.

He also needs to be alert when the goalkeeper wastes a shot. Against Forest last week, their goal came when he didn’t shut down Neco Williams as quickly as he could have, allowing the unmarked Anthony Elanga to latch on to the pass before assisting Chris Wood.

It’s all about him learning. He’s only 22, soon to be 23, and his recovery reminds me of a former defender that Forest fans used to love, singing: ‘You’ll never beat Des Walker.’ Fine-tuning, Van de Ven has the potential to become a defender attackers want to avoid.

Last season, Tottenham finished eighth and Newcastle fourth. Today, Tottenham are in fourth place and Newcastle in eighth place. Spurs need to win to maintain their momentum but Eddie Howe’s side will be desperate for a win to keep alive their chances of securing some form of European football.