Tottenham Faces Injury Crisis Ahead of Anfield Showdown

Tottenham head to Anfield on Tuesday night chasing a place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup and a badly needed jolt of confidence. They will do it without Sandro Tonali and Pedro Porro – and still without Richarlison, who remains frozen out despite being eligible to play.

Spurs have not won at Liverpool in 15 years. Two straight 0-0 draws, against Nottingham Forest and Everton, have drained momentum and raised the stakes for this tie. A cup win on Merseyside would feel bigger than just progression; it would feel like a reset.

Instead, the problems keep stacking up.

Tonali and Porro ruled out

Roberto De Zerbi confirmed that Tonali picked up a minor knock in the Everton stalemate and will not travel. Porro, already sidelined at the weekend, continues to struggle with a muscular issue and also misses out.

For a squad already short of rhythm after a disrupted pre-season, losing two more senior figures is a sharp hit. Tonali’s absence strips control from midfield. Porro’s injury removes one of Spurs’ most reliable outlets on the right.

There is at least one boost. Destiny Udogie returns after being left out against Everton as a precaution, and is expected to come straight back into the side.

Richarlison left at home

The Richarlison saga rumbles on, but not on the pitch.

The Brazilian wanted out this summer. Spurs left him out of their Premier League squad and, despite late attempts from both player and club to find an exit, no move arrived. He is in limbo: contracted, fit enough to play, but not part of the plan.

De Zerbi made it clear nothing has changed. Richarlison will not be involved at Anfield, even though he is eligible for the Carabao Cup.

“Richarlison, you already know everything, nothing changed for the Carabao Cup or Premier League. The situation is the same,” the Spurs boss said on Monday.

Long-term absentee Dejan Kulusevski also remains out, removing another creative option from the front line.

Youth, rotation and selection headaches

This is a cup tie that demands intensity, but De Zerbi must also think about legs and minutes. Spurs are expected to rotate, yet the Italian still has to lean on several key players who are short of full fitness.

He name-checked Mateus Fernandes, Conor Gallagher and Mohammed Kudus as all lacking full match sharpness. They may still be asked to start or at least play significant roles.

The door could open, briefly, for the academy. Young winger Luca Williams-Barnett is in De Zerbi’s thoughts, with the head coach hinting at possible minutes from the bench.

“I don't know, Luca. We have to see because many players need to play. Maybe not 90 minutes, 90 minutes, but 30 minutes a real game is important,” he said, before circling back to confirm Tonali’s absence. The message was clear: this will be a balancing act.

Predicted Tottenham XI

With injuries biting and rotation planned, Spurs are expected to line up close to full strength but with a few calculated risks:

Dubravka; Gray, Tosin, Senesi, Udogie; Bentancur, Bergvall, Gallagher; Kudus, Solanke, Marmoush.

Out of contention are Simons, Odobert, Kulusevski, Tonali, Porro and Mudryk through injury, while Richarlison stays unavailable by choice of the manager rather than the medical team.

Anfield under the lights, a fanbase restless, a squad stretched, and a manager forced into bold calls. For Tottenham, this is more than a third-round tie. It’s a test of nerve in a season that already feels like it’s edging towards a crossroads.