AliousTottenham Hotspur may have to cope without up to 13 players when they travel to face Liverpool F.C. in a crucial Premier League clash on Sunday.
Spurs find themselves unexpectedly fighting to stay in the top flight, desperately trying to avoid a shocking drop to the EFL Championship. With only nine league matches left, the pressure is mounting on the North London side, who head into the weekend sitting just one point above the relegation zone.
A difficult trip to the home of the reigning champions is far from ideal for manager Igor Tudor, especially with Tottenham already under intense scrutiny. Their chances of returning from Merseyside with a positive result are further complicated by a severe injury crisis within the squad.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Tudor confirmed that three additional players will miss Sunday’s trip, deepening the club’s injury problems and leaving an already depleted squad stretched even further.
Tottenham’s growing list of absentees underscores the scale of the challenge they face heading into this vital encounter.
| Player | Issue | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Conor Gallagher | Illness | Doubt |
| Micky van de Ven | Suspension | Out |
| Cristian Romero | Concussion | Out |
| Ben Davies | Ankle | Out |
| Destiny Udogie | Hamstring | Out |
| João Palhinha | Concussion | Out |
| Yves Bissouma | Muscle | Out |
| Lucas Bergvall | Ankle | Out |
| Rodrigo Bentancur | Hamstring | Out |
| James Maddison | ACL | Out |
| Dejan Kulusevski | Knee | Out |
| Wilson Odobert | ACL | Out |
| Mohammed Kudus | Thigh |
As if their 5–2 defeat at Atlético Madrid on Tuesday night wasn’t bruising enough, two new names entered the treatment room in Spain’s capital. Tudor has confirmed that both Cristian Romero and João Palhinha will be absent this weekend due to the concussion protocol, after the Spurs pair clashed heads in stoppage time at the Metropolitano.
Tudor also revealed that Yves Bissouma, who was unavailable midweek having been left out of Tottenham’s Champions League squad, had suffered a muscle injury and would be missing for the Liverpool clash.
Spurs already knew they would be without Micky van de Ven through suspension after his costly red card in the recent 3–1 defeat to Crystal Palace, while Ben Davies and Destiny Udogie are also sidelined in the defense. In slightly better news, the latter is expected to return soon.
The absence of Palhinha and Bissouma creates another dilemma for Tudor in midfield, the Croatian coach already without Lucas Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski in the center of the park. Connor Gallagher is a doubt, too, as he battles a fever, although the winter recruit is likely to feature.
Tottenham’s attack is not quite as decimated by fitness issues but both Wilson Odobert and Mohammed Kudus are missing. The former will sit out the rest of the season, while the latter should return after the March international break.
A threadbare squad will travel to Anfield looking for a first victory at the venue since 2011. Given they have also conceded 17 goals on their last four visits, things look decidedly bleak for the north Londoners.
While their misery is hardly comparable to Tottenham’s, Liverpool also find themselves in a sticky spot. They have lost two of their last three in all competitions and continue to deliver mediocre displays, the Reds left fighting frantically for Champions League qualification.
The arrival of an injury-stricken Spurs offers the perfect chance for Liverpool to return to winning ways and boost their Champions League bid, but things have seldom been straightforward for Arne Slot’s side this season.
Liverpool has often floundered against struggling opposition and the pressure to put Tottenham to the sword this weekend could unnerve them. They have no excuses for failing to walk away with a handsome victory from Sunday’s match, especially considering Spurs are yet to win in the Premier League this calendar year.
Alious
