Destiny Udogie has not featured for Tottenham since suffering a hamstring injury against Manchester United in February.
Tottenham Hotspur’s hopes of arresting a worrying slide towards the Premier League relegation zone may well rest on whether they can get some of their many injured stars back in the coming weeks.
Spurs suffered a heavy defeat against Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday. It wasn’t just a loss for Igor Tudor. The setback all but ended the club’s ambitions to qualify for the last eight of the Champions League, although we have seen miracles happen in this competition. Knowing securing Premier League safety is the priority, Igor Tudor was concerned with what happened in the dying minutes of the Atletico Madrid game.
Cristian Romero and Joao Palhinha suffered a nasty clash of heads while competing for the ball, and the duo have been ruled out for the trip to Liverpool owing to concussion protocols. Micky van de Ven will also be absent on Sunday after his red card offence against Crystal Palace last week, while there remains a long list of injuries.
However, Tudor provided a rare positive injury update in his press conference ahead of the trip to Liverpool.
Igor Tudor reveals Destiny Udogie will be back for the Nottingham Forest game
Tudor confirmed that Destiny Udogie will be fit to feature for next week’s home game against Nottingham Forest.
“Destiny almost back,” Tudor said in his press conference.
Destiny Udogie has endured another stop-start campaign in North London. The left-back hasn’t featured for Tottenham since being forced off with a hamstring injury in the 2-0 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford in the first week of February. Consequently, he has missed games against Newcastle United, Arsenal, Fulham, Crystal Palace and Atletico Madrid, and will not be available for the upcoming fixtures against Liverpool and the second leg vs. Atletico Madrid.
Recurrent knee and thigh problems have limited the Italy international to only 13 Premier League appearances this season. When fully fit and running, Udogie makes a lot of difference to how Tottenham operate. The 23-year-old’s agility, reading of the game, energy and defensive prowess make him a crucial player for his side.
Udogie has already missed 18 games alone this campaign, which is perhaps why the Lilywhites decided to sign teenager Souza from Santos in the winter transfer window. Closer to returning to the squad, Tudor, his coaching staff and the medical department must now ensure the left-back remains fit for the remainder of the season. His availability next weekend for the all-important six-pointer against Nottingham Forest is good news for Tottenham.