Tottenham Hotspur’s 5-0 demolition of Southampton at St. Mary’s on Saturday night did not come without more injury concerns, as returning full-back Djed Spence was seen limping at full-time.
The game was effectively decided within the first 25 minutes, as Spurs tore through Southampton’s defence with ruthless efficiency. James Maddison opened the scoring just 40 seconds after kick-off, slotting home a sublime assist from Spence, who was making his first Premier League start of the season.
Goals from Heung-min Son, Dejan Kulusevski, and Pape Matar Sarr followed in rapid succession, with Maddison netting his second of the evening from an improbable angle just before half-time. The 5-0 halftime scoreline left the St. Mary’s crowd stunned, with many home fans vacating the stadium long before the final whistle.
Despite the attacking brilliance, the win came at a cost for Spurs, as Spence limped off after the game, raising concerns about his availability moving forward.
Djed Spence’s return to the team was one of the positives for Tottenham ahead of the game. The young right-back, who had impressed during preseason under Ange Postecoglou, delivered a solid performance, capped with an assist for Maddison’s opener.
However, Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold reported after the game that Spence was limping while heading toward the traveling fans.
Gold provided an update on X:
“Djed Spence was seen limping away after going over to the Spurs fans. Hopefully just a bit of tiredness and cramp after his first prolonged spell of football in a long while.”
Djed Spence limping away after going over to the Spurs fans. Hopefully just a bit of tiredness and cramp after his first prolonged spell of football in a long while.
— Alasdair Gold (@AlasdairGold) December 15, 2024
Spence has endured a challenging journey since joining Spurs in 2022. Initially signed under Antonio Conte, who viewed him as a club signing rather than his preference, Spence struggled to secure a place in the squad. He had loan spells at Rennes, Leeds United, and Genoa, with his stint in Serie A proving the most fruitful.
Returning to Tottenham in the summer of 2024, Spence impressed during preseason under manager Ange Postecoglou, earning a spot in the first-team squad.
He made his season debut on August 19 as a substitute in a 1–1 draw against Leicester City. In September, he scored his first competitive goal for Spurs in a 2–1 EFL Cup win over Coventry City. Recognising his development, Tottenham extended Spence’s contract until 2028 in October 2024.
Spence’s potential injury is another blow for Ange Postecoglou, who has already been battling an injury crisis since his arrival at the club. Tottenham’s defensive options have been significantly depleted, with Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, and Ben Davies all sidelined.
Adding to the defensive woes, Destiny Udogie was forced off in the first half against Southampton, leaving Postecoglou with a depleted backline ahead of upcoming fixtures.
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