Tottenham’s Injury Crisis: How Bad Is It?

Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa last weekend marked a difficult period for the north London club, seeing them eliminated from two cup competitions in just four days.

As pressure mounts on Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou, the Australian has insisted that his team will be “outstanding” once their ongoing injury crisis eases.

Spurs were missing 11 senior players for their clash with Villa, and after the match, Postecoglou defended his squad, emphasising that “for two and a half months, this small group of players have given everything in multiple competitions.”

While Tottenham’s injury troubles have been widely discussed amid their slide to 14th in the Premier League, many other clubs have also faced injury setbacks to key players and summer signings.

So, does Postecoglou deserve some leeway as he navigates Spurs’ injury crisis, or have other teams managed to secure results despite similar challenges?

Assessing Tottenham’s Injury Crisis

As noted, Tottenham were without 11 senior players last weekend, including their first-choice centre-back pairing of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven. Starting goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and left-back Destiny Udogie were also absent.

Adding to their woes, Radu Dragusin suffered an ACL injury after providing cover for the regular central defenders over the past few months.

Midfield injuries are less severe, with James Maddison being the only absentee.

In attack, summer signings Dominic Solanke and Wilson Odobert remain sidelined, while Richarlison missed the match despite having only recently returned from injury.

On the wings, Brennan Johnson and Timo Werner have been among the key players absent in recent weeks.

Comparing Injuries Across Premier League Clubs

Liverpool

Liverpool have been relatively fortunate with injuries. Currently, only Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez are sidelined. While the club has had minor issues with Diogo Jota and others throughout the season, the league leaders remain one of the least affected teams in terms of injuries.

Nottingham Forest

Forest also have just two players out – Callum Hudson-Odoi and Murillo.

Fulham

The Cottagers are currently missing three players: Harry Wilson, Kenny Tete, and Reiss Nelson. However, no squad member has suffered a season-ending injury.

Brentford

Brentford have six players unavailable, including key figures Josh Dasilva, Rico Henry, and Mark Flekken. Igor Thiago, Aaron Hickey, and Gustavo Nunes are also sidelined.

Leicester City

Leicester’s only long-term absentee is Issahaku Fatawu, who will miss the rest of the season. Ricardo Pereira, Jannik Vestergaard, Jamie Vardy, and Victor Kristiansen are out for a few weeks.

Manchester United

United have struggled with injuries to Luke Shaw and Mason Mount, with Shaw nearing a year since his last start. Jonny Evans and Lisandro Martinez are also unavailable, with Martinez suffering a cruciate ligament injury against Crystal Palace.

Crystal Palace

Though Palace have seven players missing, only two are long-term absences – Doucouré and Chadi Riad. Eze, Nketiah, Richards, and Ward are expected to return soon.

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Chelsea, despite their squad depth, have struggled with injuries, currently missing seven players. Wesley Fofana remains a long-term absentee, while Benoit Badiashile and Nicolas Jackson are expected back soon. Romeo Lavia has also struggled with consistent playing time.

Everton

Everton have seven players out, including Orel Mangala, who is sidelined for nearly the rest of the year. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Armando Broja, Dwight McNeil, Youssef Chermiti, Seamus Coleman, and Vitalii Mykolenko are all out until later this month.

Ipswich

Ipswich are without key players, including Wes Burns and Chiedozie Ogbene, who may not return this season. Christian Walton, Conor Chaplin, and Sammie Szmodics are also on the treatment table.

Southampton

The Saints currently have five players out: Jack Stephens, Ryan Fraser, Flynn Downes, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, and Ross Stewart. However, none are expected to be out beyond March.

Aston Villa

Villa have a relatively short injury list, but Ezri Konsa could be added after limping off against Spurs. Pau Torres is the main long-term absentee, while Tyrone Mings and Matty Cash should return by the end of February.

Newcastle

Newcastle’s five-player injury list includes Sven Botman, Dan Burn, Joelinton, and Harvey Barnes. Jamal Lascelles is their primary long-term absence.

Wolves

Wolves are missing key long-term absentees Yerson Mosquera and Enso Medina, while Sasa Kalajdzic, Jorgen Strand Larsen, and Boubacar Traoré will also be out for weeks.

West Ham

West Ham, who have improved under Graham Potter, currently have six players out, including Michail Antonio, Crysencio Summerville, Lucas Paquetá, Edson Álvarez, Niclas Füllkrug, and Jean-Clair Todibo.

Arsenal

Arsenal currently have five absentees, including Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Ben White. Takehiro Tomiyasu remains out, while Gabriel Jesus previously suffered an ACL injury. Arsenal have also recorded the highest number of injuries this season, with 27 different incidents.

Manchester City

City have suffered defensive injuries, with John Stones, Rúben Dias, Nathan Aké, and Manuel Akanji all missing games at some point. Currently, Aké, Jérémy Doku, and Ederson are out, while new signing Nico González is being assessed.

Brighton

Brighton have had serious injury issues, at one point missing 12 players in December. Currently, they are without eight squad members, including Igor Julio, James Milner, Jason Steele, and Ferdi Kadıoğlu.

Bournemouth

Bournemouth have one of the worst injury crises in the league, with nine players out, including Enes Ünal and Evanilson. Marcos Senesi, Julián Araujo, Adam Smith, Alex Scott, Luis Sinisterra, and Julio Soler are also sidelined.

Tottenham: The Worst Injury Crisis in the League?

Spurs appear to have had the worst injury problems this season. In addition to 11 players currently out, the length of absences and importance of the injured stars highlight the severity of the crisis.

Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven have been sidelined since October, with Romero dealing with foot and ankle problems while Van de Ven suffers from persistent hamstring issues. Guglielmo Vicario has been absent since November, while Destiny Udogie has been out since the end of 2024. Radu Dragusin’s ACL injury has also left Spurs short in defence.

In midfield, Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Sarr have missed crucial matches, while James Maddison has been out since January. In attack, Brennan Johnson and Dominic Solanke are dealing with injuries, with Wilson Odobert sidelined since September.

Richarlison has missed 15 league games and was forced off against Brentford last week, while Timo Werner has been out since the start of 2025.

Given the scale of their injury woes, Tottenham’s struggles under Postecoglou may be more understandable, with their fitness crisis undoubtedly among the worst in the Premier League this season.