Several players are sidelined for both teams in the Tottenham vs. Liverpool clash.
Tottenham and Liverpool will face off on Saturday evening, with both sides severely depleted by injuries and Africa Cup of Nations absences.
As per Football London, the match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could see up to 15 players unavailable across the two squads, with several late fitness tests determining final team selections.
Thomas Frank faces his biggest challenge yet as Tottenham manager with eight players unavailable. James Maddison remains out with the ACL injury he suffered during preseason and is not expected to return until the new year. Dejan Kulusevski continues recovering from a knee injury with no confirmed return date, while Destiny Udogie is sidelined with a hamstring problem until after Christmas.
Dominic Solanke has been out since September with a knee injury. The striker’s absence has forced Frank to rely heavily on Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani up front.
Arne Slot confirmed seven Liverpool players will miss the trip to north London. Mohamed Salah has departed for the Africa Cup of Nations duty with Egypt. Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma have similarly left Tottenham to join Mali and Morocco, respectively, at the tournament.
Mohamed Salah and Pape Matar Sarr
Mohamed Salah and Pape Matar Sarr
Joe Gomez will definitely miss out after suffering a hamstring injury in the first half against Brighton last weekend. The defender was substituted, and Slot stated he would not expect him in the squad for Tottenham. Dominik Szoboszlai could be available despite limping off with an ankle problem in the same match, with a late decision expected after Friday’s training session.
Cody Gakpo remains unavailable due to a muscle injury, although scans have shown promising results. Slot confirmed the Dutch forward might return earlier than initially feared, but will not feature against Spurs. Wataru Endo continues nursing an ankle problem that has kept him out for several weeks.
Giovanni Leoni faces a season-ending absence after tearing his ACL on his debut against Southampton in the Carabao Cup in September. The 18-year-old defender will not play again this campaign. Academy prospects Stefan Bajcetic and Jayden Danns both suffer from hamstring injuries that rule them out of squad contention.
Jeremie Frimpong returns
Slot did provide some positive news with Jeremie Frimpong returning to the squad after a 12-game absence. The right back has been training with the team and could feature in some capacity. Conor Bradley returns from suspension after missing the Brighton match, providing crucial defensive cover given Gomez’s absence.
https://twitter.com/SpursOfficial/status/2001661916242993609?s=20
Frank will likely field a makeshift lineup against the reigning Premier League champions. The absence of Maddison and Kulusevski removes significant creativity from midfield, placing greater responsibility on Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus to provide attacking impetus.
The depleted squads on both sides could produce an unpredictable contest. Slot’s side look to extend their unbeaten run to six matches across all competitions.