Tottenham Faces Anfield Challenge Without Tonali and Porro
Tottenham head to Anfield tonight chasing a place in the Carabao Cup fourth round – and a first win at Liverpool in 15 years – without two of their most important players.
Sandro Tonali and Pedro Porro have both been ruled out of the tie, stripping Roberto De Zerbi of key quality in the spine and on the flank at a time when Spurs are already creaking physically after a disjointed pre-season.
Two straight 0-0 draws against Nottingham Forest and Everton have left Spurs searching for a spark. They need a result. They also need a performance that suggests this season is not about to drift.
Instead, they travel north lighter than planned.
Tonali and Porro sidelined, Udogie back
De Zerbi confirmed that Tonali suffered a minor knock in the aftermath of the Everton stalemate, while Porro continues to battle the muscular problem that kept him out at the weekend.
“No, Kulusevski not available. Pedro is still not available. Udogie yes. Richarlison, you already know everything, nothing changed for the Carabao Cup or Premier League. The situation is the same,” the Spurs head coach said on Monday.
The one piece of good news: Destiny Udogie returns. The left-back was left out against Everton as a precaution but is back in contention and expected to start, a timely boost for a back line that will already be reshuffled.
Long-term absentee Dejan Kulusevski remains out, joining a growing list of attacking options unavailable at a time when goals have dried up.
Richarlison frozen out despite eligibility
And then there is Richarlison.
The Brazilian is eligible to play in the Carabao Cup, but his situation has not changed. Frozen out after failing to secure a move away in the final days of the transfer window, he will not travel to Merseyside.
Richarlison pushed hard for an exit in the summer. Spurs were open to a deal. Nothing materialised. The result is a striker in limbo, left out of the Premier League squad and now ignored for the cup as well.
De Zerbi made it clear: selection for either competition is off the table for now.
De Zerbi juggling fitness and rotation
The Italian faces a delicate balancing act with his team sheet. Spurs are expected to rotate at Anfield, but this is no throwaway fixture. A morale-boosting win at one of the most intimidating grounds in the country could reset their season.
Plenty of players need minutes, but several are still short of full fitness. De Zerbi admitted Mateus Fernandes, Conor Gallagher and Mohammed Kudus are not yet at peak sharpness, even if they are likely to be involved.
That reality has opened the door for the academy.
The Spurs boss name-checked young winger Luca Williams-Barnett as a possible option from the bench.
“I don't know, Luca. We have to see because many players need to play. Maybe not 90 minutes, 90 minutes, but 30 minutes a real game is important. Yes, there is not Sandro Tonali. I forgot to say because he felt a knock,” De Zerbi said, underlining just how stretched his resources have become.
Predicted Tottenham XI
With all that in mind, Spurs are tipped to go with a side that blends senior quality with enforced experimentation:
Dubravka; Gray, Tosin, Senesi, Udogie; Bentancur, Bergvall, Gallagher; Kudus, Solanke, Marmoush.
Injured: Simons, Odobert, Kulusevski, Tonali, Porro, Mudryk
Unavailable: Richarlison
Kick-off is at 8pm BST on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at Anfield, live on Sky Sports and ITV4.
Spurs arrive wounded, short on rhythm and missing key men. Anfield rarely shows mercy in that mood. So does this become the night a patched-up side finds its edge, or another reminder of how far this squad still has to go?
