Igor Tudor’s nightmare start at Tottenham Hotspur has somehow found a new basement. Ahead of Sunday’s daunting trip to face Liverpool, the interim boss confirmed a catastrophic injury list that threatens to leave his side unrecognisable at Anfield.
Spurs travel to Merseyside on the back of a bruising 5-2 Champions League collapse against Atletico Madrid Wednesday, a night that cost them far more than just three points.
Cristian Romero and Joao Palhinha both exited following a sickening clash of heads in stoppage time. Consequently, both players are now locked in concussion protocols and will play no part in the weekend’s proceedings.
The defensive blackout
The timing could not be worse for Tudor, who is already grappling with the fallout of Micky van de Ven’s suspension following his red card against Crystal Palace. With Ben Davies also sidelined, the Croatian manager finds himself effectively out of senior centre-backs.
While Radu Dragusin and Kevin Danso offer some respite, the lack of depth is so acute that Tudor hinted at another tactical reshuffle. He spoke with visible frustration about Archie Gray’s versatility during his pre Liverpool press conference on Friday, suggesting the teenager might have to fill yet another hole in the backline.
“Something is wrong,” Tudor admitted, lamenting a run of luck he described as “very rare.”
Midfield and goal concerns
The misery extends beyond the back four. Yves Bissouma has succumbed to a muscle injury, while Conor Gallagher remains a significant doubt as he battles a fever. These absences leave a gaping hole in a midfield already missing James Maddison, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Dejan Kulusevski.
However, Tudor did offer one definitive selection call. After the disastrous experiment of starting Antonin Kinsky against Atletico which saw the youngster hauled off after just 18 minutes Guglielmo Vicario will return to his rightful place between the sticks.
Comparing the casualty lists
While Liverpool deal with their own absences, including Alexander Isak and Wataru Endo, the scale of the crisis at Hotspur Way is unparalleled.
| Player | Status | Reason |
| Cristian Romero | Out | Concussion |
| Joao Palhinha | Out | Concussion |
| Micky van de Ven | Out | Suspended |
| Yves Bissouma | Out | Muscle Injury |
| Conor Gallagher | Doubt | Fever |
| Destiny Udogie | Out | Hamstring (Returning soon) |
| James Maddison | Out | Long-term Injury |
| Mohammed Kudus | Out | Long-term Injury |
The big question mark remains over Alisson Becker. The Brazilian missed the trip to Istanbul with a minor muscle issue picked up in training, and while Slot is “hopeful” of his return, Giorgi Mamardashvili stands ready to deputise again if needed.
More positively, Florian Wirtz has successfully returned to the starting XI, providing the creative spark Slot will need to dismantle Tudor’s makeshift defense.
However, Liverpool’s own “treatment room” is far from empty. Alexander Isak remains sidelined with a long-term ankle injury, and Slot confirmed on Friday that the Swedish striker is still working individually with the rehab team.
With Wataru Endo, Conor Bradley, and Giovanni Leoni also out, the Reds have their own depth issues yet compared to the carnage in North London, they look like a picture of health.
A club on the brink
Spurs could mathematically slide into the relegation zone by the time they kick off on Sunday. Tudor has lost all four of his matches in charge, and while the board maintains its public backing, another heavy defeat at Anfield would make his position almost untenable.
The interim boss must now decide whether to persist with his preferred three-man defence or retreat to a traditional back four simply to survive the afternoon. Either way, an injury-ravaged Spurs side face a monumental task against Arne Slot’s inconsistent Reds.
Arne Slot’s Liverpool are hardly cruising. The Reds enter Sunday’s clash reeling from back-to-back defeats a 2-1 league slip at Wolves followed by a 1-0 Champions League loss to Galatasaray. For a side currently sitting 6th and fighting to claw back into the top four, Slot knows there is zero margin for further error.
Fail to win here, and the questions regarding Slot’s recent profligacy will only grow louder. But given the state of the opposition, anything less than three points would be a tragedy of Liverpool’s own making.
