Tottenham’s injury crisis worsens following their 4-3 defeat to Chelsea, with manager Ange Postecoglou providing a concerning update on the fitness of three key players.
Tottenham Hotspur hosted Chelsea at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in what promised to be a gripping encounter between two rivals in contrasting form.
Chelsea arrived on a high, having won their previous four matches across all competitions, while Spurs, enduring a tough start to the season, managed just one win from their last four outings.
The stakes were high, with Chelsea seeking to close the gap on league leaders Liverpool, and Spurs desperate to claw their way back into the top half of the table.
The home side began brightly, surprising their opponents with two early goals, giving the Lilywhites hope of a turnaround in fortunes.
However, the game quickly unravelled for Tottenham when Cristian Romero, a critical defensive anchor and a pre-match injury doubt, limped off after 15 minutes.
Chelsea capitalised on Romero’s absence almost immediately, reducing the deficit to 2-1. Matters worsened for Spurs when Brennan Johnson, who appeared visibly unfit had to be withdrawn shortly after the break.
The final blow came late in the second half when Micky van de Ven, another player carrying concerns into the match, was forced off after making a crucial block, leaving Spurs with an even thinner defensive line.
Despite their early promise, the evening ended disastrously for Spurs as Chelsea powered to a 4-3 victory, leaving the North London side to pick up the pieces of both their performance and their growing injury list.
Speaking to BBC Match of the Day after the game, Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou shed light on the fitness struggles of Romero, Johnson, and van de Ven, who all failed to finish the match.
He said: “Obviously Romero was really disappointing. He felt something in his quad after 20 minutes and couldn’t continue.
“Brennan [Johnson] wasn’t well and he tried to sort himself out at half time but he just wasn’t up to going out there.
“Micky [van de Ven] was just a bit of tiredness. The plan today was always to try and give him 60 or 70 minutes.”
Tottenham’s inability to avoid critical injuries has become a recurring theme this season, with the defence being particularly hard-hit.
Entering this match, the Lilywhites had only one fully fit centre-back available, forcing Postecoglou’s hand in rushing both Romero and van de Ven back into action.
The gamble backfired, leaving Spurs potentially without their first-choice defenders in the coming matches.
Spurs fans will be hoping for positive news on the injury front in the coming days, but with key players in doubt, the road ahead looks increasingly challenging.
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