Evening Standard
·27 December 2024
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Yahoo sportsEvening Standard
·27 December 2024
Spurs defensive crisis has deepened and Ange Postecoglou could be without a single senior centre-back
Tottenham's defensive injury crisis has deepened after Radu Dragusin was forced off with an ankle complaint in the Boxing Day defeat at Nottingham Forest and Ben Davies suffered a setback in training, delaying his return from a hamstring injury.
Dragusin was due to be assessed on Friday but Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that Davies faces a “couple of weeks” on the sidelines, potentially leaving the Spurs head coach without a single senior centre-half for Sunday's visit of Wolves.
Archie Gray, 18, will continue to deputise in the heart of defence and could be partnered by Rodrigo Bentancur or fellow teenager Alfie Dorrington, who recently made his Spurs debut in the 5-0 win over Southampton.
Djed Spence is suspended after being sent off at the City Ground, so Pedro Porro will return at right-back, while Yves Bissouma, James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall could freshen up the midfield after being rested against Forest.
Spurs captain Heung-min Son could be given a much-needed rest, with Kulusevski switching to the front three and Brennan Johnson moving to the left wing.
Micky van de Ven (hamstring), Cristian Romero (quad), Guglielmo Vicario (foot), Wilson Odobert, Richarlison (both hamstring) and Mikey Moore (illness) remain sidelined.
Spurs predicted XI (4-3-3): Forster; Porro, Gray, Bentancur, Udogie; Bissouma, Bergvall, Maddison; Kulusevski, Solanke, Johnson