Tottenham Faces Injury Crisis Ahead of Carabao Cup Clash at Liverpool
Tottenham travel to Anfield on Tuesday with a threadbare squad and a manager already juggling problems before a ball is kicked.
Sandro Tonali is the latest to drop out. Roberto De Zerbi confirmed the 26-year-old will miss the Carabao Cup third-round tie against Liverpool after taking a knock, adding his name to a growing list of absentees.
Spurs patched up, Udogie returns
Speaking at Hotspur Way on Monday, De Zerbi ran through his roll call of injuries and exclusions. Dejan Kulusevski is out. Pedro Porro is still unavailable. The positive note came with Destiny Udogie, finally ready to return.
“Kulusevski not available, Pedro still not available, Udogie yes. No Sandro Tonali, he felt a knock,” De Zerbi said, via football.london.
The problems don’t stop there. Mykhailo Mudryk, Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert will also sit out the trip to Anfield, stripping Spurs of even more creativity and pace in the final third.
Then there is Richarlison. Technically, the Brazilian could play in the Carabao Cup despite not being registered for Premier League duty. De Zerbi made it clear that won’t happen.
“Richarlison, you already know everything, so nothing changes with the Carabao Cup or Premier League,” the Italian said.
He then drew a firm line under the saga.
“I said last press conference. I know what happened in the last 45 days. It's not right if I explained. It's not my behavior, the relationship. The problem is between the player and the club. I stay within the club. It's coach and club together.
“At the start of this season, I spoke to him many times to convince him to stay, and he didn't want to. I can't go every day to pray for him to stay.”
Richarlison’s stance has left De Zerbi planning without a forward who once looked central to Tottenham’s attack. The manager is moving on.
De Zerbi’s attacking puzzle
With so many options missing, De Zerbi will lean heavily on those still standing. Dominic Solanke sits at the heart of that plan.
“[Dominic] Solanke is a good player. He needs to improve his physical condition and stay positive because he can score many goals with us,” De Zerbi said, backing his striker to grow into the role.
He also pointed to Omar Marmoush and Savio, players used to operating in the shadows elsewhere but now expected to step into the spotlight.
“[Omar] Marmoush and Savio were not the protagonist but that is different here,” he added.
Spurs arrive at Anfield short on numbers but not on expectation. De Zerbi wants his remaining forwards to seize the stage.
Iraola wrestling with Liverpool’s schedule
On the other side, Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has a different kind of headache: overload, not shortage.
This tie will be Liverpool’s third game in seven days, a run Iraola described as the “worst scenario in terms of schedule” when he spoke to the media on Monday, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo.
“It's the third game (in seven days) it's the worst scenario in terms of schedule, we haven't been lucky,” he said.
“After this one we have a little bit more before we play Bournemouth and you noticed the gap between Ipswich and Atletico and Atletico and Fulham. It's a big difference.”
The calendar is forcing him into constant calculation.
“We have to get used to it. You can put the same players in every game. The problem is there will be a moment they are really tired, and there is more risk of injury.
“There are players who play every three days and have no issues; they can accept it, and performances don't change too much. Then there are players where the risk is bigger and the performances are different.
“And we are in a position where I have to learn who is ready to play and who is ready to rest, so their performance level doesn't drop. I had an idea with some of them, but for some of them it is new as they haven't played as many games before.”
So Anfield will stage a cup tie shaped by absences and fatigue. Tottenham arrive stripped of stars and carrying tension around one of their biggest names. Liverpool walk in with heavy legs and a manager still working out who can survive this relentless rhythm.
The Carabao Cup rarely defines a season. On Tuesday night, it might reveal exactly how much strain these two squads can take.
