Liverpool take on troubled Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Sunday, and the visitors could be missing as many as 11 players
Micky van de Ven was sent off against Crystal Palace
Micky van de Ven was sent off against Crystal Palace(Image: Getty Images)
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Tottenham Hotspur could be without as many as 11 players for Sunday's visit to Liverpool, with the man dubbed "the obvious choice" for a summer move to the Reds amongst them.
Struggling Spurs will arrive at Anfield having lost their last six matches in all competitions and in real danger of becoming the highest profile relegated side in Premier League history.
Interim boss Igor Tudor has overseen a dismal four matches in charge thus far, losing all of them, and on Tuesday he attracted criticism for substituting goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky just 17 minutes into a 5-2 defeat at Atletico Madrid after he was at fault for two of the first three goals.
Micky van de Ven had slipped for Atletico's second goal, scored by Antoine Griezmann, and the Dutch defender won't play at Anfield this weekend as he serves a one match ban for his red card in Spurs' last Premier League match, a 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace.
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Former Spurs boss Tim Sherwood believes that Van de Ven should be eyed by Liverpool for a summer move, with the Reds expected to be in the market for a centre-back with Ibrahima Konate's contract expiring this summer and Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez only having one year left on their deals come the end of the seaon.
“Micky van de Ven is the obvious choice for Liverpool this summer in that left centre-back position," Sherwood told BOYLE Sports and Footy Accumulators’ podcast, No Tippy Tappy Football.
"There’s not many other options for Liverpool; there’s Jarrad Branthwaite, but there’s no way he’s joining from Everton, so I think that opens the door for Micky to become a Liverpool player, and I think he’d do really well for them.
“He’s got all the attributes to become a top player, but he needs someone like Virgil van Dijk next to him. I think that proven, experienced players by his side would make him feel more comfortable and improve his leadership skills, because I don’t think he’s the leader everyone thinks he is just yet.
“It’s a learning curve for Micky, and he could really benefit from the experience of winners around him, but I still think he’d be a good fit for Liverpool.”
As well as the suspended Van de Ven, Spurs could also be without Cristian Romero and Joao Palhinha after the pair clashed heads in Madrid, while Destiny Udogie is another serious doubt with a hamstring injury.
Long-term injury absentees Mohammed Kudus, Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall, Ben Davies, Wilson Odobert, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are all out.