Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou issues injury update on Micky van de Ven
Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou has given injury updates for the members of the squad who are currently on the sidelines ahead of Saturday’s trip to Manchester City.
Spurs’ defensive issues have been well documented in recent weeks, with injuries to first-choice centre-back pairing Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero leaving the squad stretched thin ahead of the game against Manchester City.
Romero, who came off with a foot injury while playing for Argentina during the international break, will miss the clash. It is a massive blow as the 26-year-old is the club’s defensive lynchpin.
The South American’s partner in central defence, Micky van de Ven is not expected to return from a hamstring injury until the middle of December. The Dutchman suffered a hamstring injury in the 10th minute of Tottenham’s 2-1 victory over City in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup on October 30.
He missed the Lilywhites’ next three matches in all competitions and was left out of the Netherlands’ squad for their Nations League fixtures against Hungary and Bosnia in the recently concluded international break. Speaking ahead of the Ipswich game, Ange Postecoglou said Van de Ven would return after the international break but that doesn’t look the case.
The Spurs gaffer dropped a fresh injury update on the Netherlands international, claiming he will be out for a little longer than initially expected.
“Micky’s still a good couple of weeks away,” Postecoglou said in his press conference (h/t Football London). “He’s out on the grass training, but he’s still a couple of weeks away. We’re hoping by the middle of December he’ll be back and available to play.”
Going to the Etihad Stadium without the first-choice centre-back pairing is a massive blow for Big Ange and Spurs. Van de Ven, in particular, has been among the better performers in an otherwise disappointing campaign for the Lilywhites. The 23-year-old missing the last few games with injury have affected the team’s defence and subsequently the results, with Big Ange’s side losing back-to-back games against Galatasaray and Ipswich Town.
Having Van de Ven in the first XI makes a massive difference to how Spurs play. His rapid pace and smart reading of the game allow the North Londoners to play a high defensive line effectively. With Big Ange ruling the left-footed defender out until mid-December, he is expected to miss the forthcoming games against Man City, AS Roma, Fulham, Bournemouth, Chelsea, Rangers and Southampton.
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Van de Ven should be pencilled in to return for the Carabao Cup quarter-final home clash against Manchester United on December 20. Hamstring injuries are notoriously tricky to manage, so our medical department must manage the Dutch defender’s fitness carefully and not rush him back under any circumstances.
