Igor Tudor and Mikel Arteta provide an update on the injury status of key players ahead of the North London derby
This Sunday, February 22, sees one of the most hotly-anticipated fixtures in the Premier League calendar as Tottenham host Arsenal in the North London derby. Both sides go into the game with very different injury news as they also pursue very different goals in their respective campaigns.
The hosts are in a perilous position at the wrong end of the table, just five points above the drop zone and new interim manager Igor Tudor hasn’t been helped by an absentee list in the double figures. The visitors, meanwhile, have drawn their last two in the league and will be keen to get back to winning ways lest Manchester City make up further ground on them in the title race.
Spurs have so many injuries it’s affecting training
Tottenham head coach Tudor has lamented that he has so many injuries it has been difficult to even put on proper training sessions. Meanwhile, Cristian Romero is suspended, to further compound his woes.
“In this particular moment with 10 injuries, we trained with 13 players,” Tudor said at his pre-match press conference.
“It is what is is. It’s not fantastic, but 13 we will have and it is quite enough to achieve what we want on Sunday.”
Wilson Odobert, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, Ben Davies, Lucas Bergvall, Destiny Udogie, and Kevin Danso are all confirmed as out until at least next month, while the derby will also probably be too soon for Richarlison and Pedro Porro.
Tudor doesn’t expect to be boosted by any returning players in time for Sunday. In fact, he had a fresh injury concern to contend with Dominic Solanke having a throat problem, although he was able to train with the team.
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“Probably no [injured players will return], Solanke has some problem with his throat but he made two days training. All the others, some are next week,” said Tudor.
“It is an even bigger challenge to succeed from this situation.
My first goal is that we become a team in the right meaning of the word, that suffers when it needs to suffer, to fight, to run, to have the right mentality. The start is always about mentality.”
Better news for Arsenal with Arteta optimistic
Meanwhile, Arsenal head coach Arteta has reported no new injury concerns, which means that Bukayo Saka should be fine to feature in the derby, following concern after he was substituted against Wolves.
The Basque coach also hinted at returns for Martin Ødegaard and Kai Havertz and insisted that Leandro Trossard is “fine”.
“We will have to wait until tomorrow but big possibility for them [Havertz and Odegaard] to be available,” Arteta told journalists at his press conference.
Max Dowman is back in training and in contention, which means that Mikel Merino – who isn’t due back until May – is the only senior player unavailable for Arteta.
