Tottenham Hotspur face Liverpool in tonight’s Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg with a concerning run of form and a depleted squad.
Spurs have managed only two wins in their last 12 matches, suffering five defeats in nine games and going four matches without a victory. However, context reveals key injuries and absences contributing to their struggles.
Head coach Ange Postecoglou has faced scrutiny over his tactics, but injuries to several key players, especially in defense, have compounded the team’s issues.
Unfortunately for Tottenham, their situation has worsened since their 2-1 Premier League loss to Newcastle United on Saturday.
Spurs could be without as many as 11 players for the clash at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. First-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario remains sidelined with a fractured ankle sustained in November.
Fraser Forster, who replaced him, missed the Newcastle game due to illness, as did Radu Dragusin and his stand-in partner Archie Gray.
Dragusin, Spurs’ only fit senior center-back, was substituted at halftime but is expected to recover alongside Gray and winger Dejan Kulusevski, who were also unwell.
Dragusin and Gray are likely to start in defense, with Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Ben Davies, and Destiny Udogie all unavailable.
Additionally, Spurs may debut their new goalkeeper, Antonin Kinsky, who joined from Slavia Prague for £12.5m over the weekend.
Despite Brandon Austin impressing on his first-team debut against Newcastle, Postecoglou hinted that Kinsky, a 21-year-old Czech Republic youth international, could start after a few training sessions.
In midfield, Rodrigo Bentancur returns from suspension, but James Maddison and Pape Matar Sarr are banned for accumulating two yellow cards in the competition.
In attack, Richarlison and Wilson Odobert remain out, though young talent Mikey Moore may return to the bench.
Liverpool, aiming for their third League Cup final in four years, will look to capitalize on Tottenham’s injury woes as Postecoglou navigates a challenging lineup situation.
