Muhammad Awwal AbubakarTottenham Hotspur’s recent victory over Manchester City in the Carabao Cup fourth round has brought both joy and concern for the North London club.
The 2-1 victory, secured by early goals from Timo Werner and Pape Matar Sarr, sets Spurs up for a quarter-final showdown against Manchester United in December.
However, the match also highlighted the mounting injury woes facing the team, casting a shadow over the positive result against city leaving the coach biting his tongue.
Manager Ange Postecoglou is in a crucial time of his tenure, having turned Spurs into serious contenders, but the injuries are starting to impact his squad.
Here’s a closer look at the current injury situation affecting some of the club’s key players.
Micky van de Ven
Micky van de Ven’s performance at left-back was cut short when he appeared to pull a hamstring while chasing down a city’s winger Savinho.
His substitution in the first half left him visibly upset, and although he returned to the bench for the second half, his availability for the upcoming Premier League clash against Aston Villa is now in doubt.
Postecoglou acknowledged the concern, stating, “Micky felt something in his hamstring. I haven’t got the full update on him but he definitely felt something and we’ll see how he is.”
Potential return date Unknown
Cristian Romero
Another defender, Cristian Romero, also left the field during the match. Postecoglou clear the air and ease the situation, indicating that fatigue, rather than a serious injury, was the issue.
“Cuti was tired,” he explained. “I contemplated changing him at half-time but after losing Micky as well I didn’t want to lose another centre-half.
He said he felt ok but my gut was telling me there’s no point taking a risk as we had Benny [Ben Davies] who could come on for him.”
Potential return date: November 2024
Timo Werner
Timo Werner, who opened the scoring for Spurs, was substituted in the 70th minute after appearing to experience discomfort.
However, Postecoglou seemed optimistic, suggesting that it was likely a result of fatigue rather than a serious injury. “Timo hasn’t played a lot so I felt it was more fatigue hopefully than anything else,” he remarked.
Potential return date: November 2024
Heung-min Son
Spurs’ captain Heung-min Son has been a notable absentee in recent matches due to a hamstring injury sustained late in the Europa League victory against Qarabag on September 26.
After missing international duty with South Korea, Son made a comeback, scoring in the victory over West Ham before departing early against AZ.
He missed the match against City but could potentially return for the Premier League game against Villa on Sunday.
Potential return date: Sunday, November 3, 2024 vs Aston Villa
Wilson Odobert
Young winger Wilson Odobert’s situation has also taken a downturn. After returning from a month-long absence due to a hamstring injury, he has reportedly suffered another serious setback.
Postecoglou expressed disappointment: “The only other one missing out which is a bit of a disappointment is Wilson, who has had a setback during the week and it seems like it is a serious one so we’re just waiting for more information.
It’s not exactly the same [injury] but the same area.” Since joining from Burnley for £25 million, Odobert has made just five appearances for Spurs.
Potential return date: Unknown
Djed Spence
Right-back Djed Spence has been sidelined by a groin strain picked up during training, although he recently signed a new contract with the club.
Postecoglou remains hopeful that Spence will return to training soon, stating last week, “Getting closer so we’re hoping next week [he will] join back in training.” However, his status remains uncertain after he missed the win against City.
Potential return date: Unknown
As Tottenham prepares for an important series of fixtures, the availability of these key players will be critical to maintaining momentum.
With the prospect of significant absences looming, Postecoglou will need to navigate these challenges carefully if Spurs are to keep their trophy ambitions alive.
The upcoming clash with Aston Villa will be a crucial test, especially if the injury list continues to grow.
Muhammad Awwal Abubakar
