Tottenham entered the international break with a spring in their step after a 1-0 win against Watford ensured they led the Premier League table with a 100 per cent win record.
The buoyant mood around the club has gradually subsided over the past 10 days or so, however, following a truly nightmarish international schedule that threatens to overshadow the club’s upcoming fixture against Crystal Palace on Saturday lunchtime.
Nuno Espirito Santo has relied upon a settled starting line-up in the league so far with Harry Kane‘s inclusion at Lucas Moura’s expense against Watford his only change in the first three games.
The new boss will be forced to break up a winning formula, though, with a number of key players doubtful to feature due to injury or being unavailable because of Covid-related quarantine guidelines.
Here is the full list of possible absentees for Tottenham’s game this weekend.
Son Heung-min
Son Heung-min has played an integral role in his team’s fine start to the season, scoring the winner against both Manchester City and Watford at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Nuno will be concerned, therefore, that the 29-year-old picked up a calf injury during South Korea’s World Cup qualifiers which forced him to miss their second match of the break against Lebanon on Tuesday.
Son will be assessed by Tottenham’s medical team ahead of Saturday’s game with Palace.
Oliver Skipp
After playing an integral role in Norwich City’s promotion from the Championship last season, Oliver Skipp has cemented a starting place in Tottenham’s engine room under Nuno, starting in all three Premier League games so far.
Skipp’s form led to him starting for England U21s in the 2-0 win over Kosovo on Tuesday night, but he hobbled off eight minutes from time after suffering a groin strain.
England boss Lee Carsley delivered an update post-match, saying: “I’ve seen him on the treatment table with some ice on his groin. He said it was just a bit of stiffness there. Like with these injuries, we’ll probably know a bit more about it on Wednesday.”
Cristian Romero, Giovani Lo Celso and Davinson Sanchez
Cristiano Romero and Giovani Lo Celso both started for Argentina against Brazil on Sunday night before the game was suspended and then abandoned after Brazilian health officials stormed the pitch to detain the Spurs duo – along with Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez and Emi Buendia – for allegedly providing “false information” to enter the country.
The pair could be fined by Spurs upon their return to London after reporting for national team duty against the club’s wishes given South American countries are currently on the UK government’s red list for travel.
Romero and Lo Celso flew from Buenos Aires to Croatia – which is on the UK’s green list – on Monday night in order to avoid having to quarantine in a London hotel. They will join Colombian defender Davinson Sanchez for a 10-day training camp in Croatia, meaning all three will miss this weekend’s match and the Conference League match with Rennes on Thursday.
Steven Bergwijn
Steven Bergwijn has made a promising start to the season, cementing a starting place in the front three under Nuno.
Bergwijn started during the Netherlands’ 6-1 thrashing of Turkey on Tuesday but had to be withdrawn just past the hour mark. He was later spotted with ice strapped to his left ankle while sitting on the substitutes bench.
As with Son and Skipp, Bergwijn will be assessed before Saturday.
Ryan Sessegnon
Ryan Sessegnon was also included in Carsley’s U21 squad but was forced to withdraw before the game against Kosovo after suffering an unspecified knock in training.
The 21-year-old, who played in both legs of Tottenham’s Uefa Conference League play-off win against Pacos de Ferreira, was dogged by a hamstring injury during pre-season.
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3hdMvLr
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