Tottenham Hotspur's improved form on the pitch, with back-to-back Premier League wins, has not been matched by their injury fortunes. Creative midfielder James Maddison was a doubt for last weekend's clash with Chelsea and was forced off early in the second half with a groin problem.
While Tottenham await a proper timeline for Maddison's recovery, head coach Roberto De Zerbi will anticipate the returns of Lucas Bergvall, Destiny Udogie and Tosin Adarabioyo. Mykhailo Mudryk's injury remains a concern, with fellow summer signing Savio still a while away from returning to action.
James Maddison and Destiny Udogie
Maddison only exited the treatment room a little under two weeks ago, but the seven-time England international looks set for another spell on the sidelines after pulling up during the second half of Spurs' win over Chelsea. Having returned from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament late last season, Maddison picked up a shoulder fracture at the start of the current campaign. It is believed he then sustained a groin issue during the Chelsea game, with further tests required ahead of this weekend's clash with Crystal Palace. Spurs fans will take comfort in the fact that Maddison was walking unaided after the game and was on the pitch during Tottenham's celebrations at Stamford Bridge.
Left wing-back Udogie has missed both of Spurs' Premier League wins this campaign, with De Zerbi stating that his fellow Italian's absence is due to a "fitness issue". A knee injury picked up against Manchester United has left the former Udinese man unable to train. Speaking ahead of the Chelsea game, De Zerbi shared: "[Udogie] is not available. With the medical staff, we are trying to find the best way for him. But after Manchester United, I have not worked with him, and it is a problem."
Tosin Adarabioyo and Lucas Bergvall
Tosin looked impressive against Coventry in his first start since joining Tottenham, but his full debut was interrupted by a suspected calf issue. While De Zerbi implied the injury was not too serious in the build-up to the Chelsea game, he missed out on the matchday squad entirely.
Swedish midfielder Bergvall has been absent since Spurs' draw at Old Trafford. The knock he picked up against Manchester United is not believed to be serious, with a confirmed timeline given by De Zerbi. It is hoped Bergvall will be available for selection this weekend, after two weeks out injured. Speaking earlier in October, De Zerbi stated: "Bergvall had a problem in Manchester early on in the first chance he created for [Dominic] Solanke. He felt pain in his knee but felt fine and on Sunday he came to the training ground and he'll be out for two weeks."
Savio, Mykhailo Mudryk and Long-Term Absentees
There was a third casualty for Spurs during the 1-1 draw with Manchester United, with summer signing Savio still out injured. The issue has been described as a muscle problem by De Zerbi, with the exact nature still unclear. As such, there is no confirmed return date for the Brazilian, meaning it is uncertain whether the ex-Manchester City winger will be fit to feature before the next international break in November. De Zerbi commented: "Unfortunately, Savio, on Tuesday before leaving for Marbella, felt a muscular problem and we have lost him for some weeks."
Spurs supporters are still waiting to get a proper glimpse of Chelsea loanee Mudryk, the Ukrainian making just one appearance since temporarily swapping west London for north London. De Zerbi described the ankle injury Mudryk picked up in training as "stupid", but no further details have been provided beyond a rough timeframe of six to eight weeks given in mid-September. That timeline would see Mudryk available for selection in early November.
Odobert is a long-term absentee, recovering from an ACL tear sustained in Spurs' defeat by Newcastle back in February. Stepping up his recovery at Hotspur Way since undergoing surgery, Odobert is said to be progressing well, with some noise that he could make a quicker recovery than the typical nine-month timeframe suggested for torn ACLs.
Another Tottenham player to suffer an ACL injury, Simons has been absent since April. The Dutch international was quick to go under the knife, missing the Netherlands' World Cup campaign. Simons is now stepping up his recovery at Hotspur Way based on his social media posts, sharing a video showing he is now training with a ball at his feet. That being said, Simons' return from injury is not likely before the turn of the year.
