Tottenham face a significant injury crisis ahead of their Premier League visit to Old Trafford to face Manchester United on October 10. The London club, who are bottom of the table without a win this season, could be without as many as six first-team players for the key fixture.
Manchester United, sitting 12th with five points from five games, will host a Spurs side missing several regulars. The visitors' defensive line is particularly affected, with summer signing Jan Paul van Hecke a major doubt. The 27-year-old centre-back, a £52 million arrival from Brighton, suffered a toe injury while on international duty with the Netherlands. He played the full match against Serbia but withdrew from training after just seven minutes. "During the match against Serbia, someone stepped on him," said national team coach Xavi. "He didn’t realise it during the match, but afterwards it was impossible for him to play." Van Hecke has started all but one of Tottenham's games this season.
Key defensive and attacking absences
Right-back Pedro Porro is definitely ruled out of the trip north. The Spanish international, a World Cup winner, sustained a hamstring injury in the recent 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa and is expected to be sidelined for around a month. His likely return is pencilled in for the match against Chelsea on October 24. In attack, forward Mykhaylo Mudryk is also a long-term absentee. The Ukrainian, a loan signing from Chelsea, has not played since November last year due to an ankle problem and is not expected back until late October at the earliest.
These absences compound a difficult start for manager Roberto De Zerbi. Their only goals this term came in the defeat to Villa.
Potential returns boost Tottenham's options
There is some positive news for Spurs regarding midfielder Dejan Kulusevski. The Swedish international has been out for over 500 days with a serious knee injury but is now nearing a return to the matchday squad. If he continues training without problems, he could feature in one of Tottenham's next three games. Young winger Wilson Odobert, who suffered an ACL injury in February, is targeting a comeback in November or December. A more distant return is expected for midfielder Xavi Simons, who ruptured his ACL in April and is not likely back until early next year.
For Erik ten Hag's Manchester United, the match represents a chance to build momentum after a mixed start. Their last outing was a 1-1 draw at Fulham, with Matheus Cunha scoring a late equaliser. The team's form reads one win, two draws and two losses from their last five. They will be looking to their top scorer Bruno Fernandes, who has three goals this season, to make the difference. The last meeting between these sides at Old Trafford ended in a 2-0 victory for United back in February.
The fixture is a critical one for both clubs as they seek to climb the table. United's full upcoming fixtures show a busy period after the international break. Tottenham's lengthy injury list could be a decisive factor when the teams meet under the lights at the Theatre of Dreams next weekend.
The report in full is at Football London
