Tottenham are set to be without influential centre-back Micky van de Ven for Thursday’s vital Carabao Cup clash with Liverpool.
The Reds host the north Londoners on Thursday evening, looking to make it into yet another domestic cup final.
Arne Slot‘s side trail 1-0 from the first leg, following Lucas Bergvall’s controversial late winner, so there is plenty of work to do.
That said, Spurs are decimated in defence, with Cristian Romero a key absentee since December, and Radu Dragusin out for the season with ACL damage.
Van de Ven only made his return in the Europa League last week, playing 45 minutes against Elfsborg, but Ange Postecoglou has all but ruled him out of Thursday’s game.
“With Micky, and Romero to a certain extent, I feel like we’ve got to be a bit more conservative with them,” Postecoglou said.
“Micky got through the game alright, but I don’t think he feels he’s ready for that step up to the Premier League, the intensity of it. The same with Romero.
“Look, after losing Radu for the rest of the season, really disappointing for him and for us, my view and decision is that we’re not going to risk these guys, keep them ticking over in training and try to make sure they are absolutely ready, without any more setbacks.
“The other guys who are edging closer as well, similar lines with them as well.”
With Van de Ven, Romero and Dragusin all missing, Postecoglou could have to hand new loan signing Kevin Danso a debut, saying it is a “massive bonus” to have him in the fold.
The Austrian centre-back joined on loan from Lens last weekend, and a daunting baptism of fire at the home of Europe’s best team could be coming his way.
That is far from certain, though, and teenage midfielder Archie Gray could continue at centre-back alongside Ben Davies.
Meanwhile, Spurs are still without Guglielmo Vicario, Destiny Udogie, Brennan Johnson, James Maddison, Wilson Odobert, Timo Werner and Dominic Solanke.
Liverpool will be licking their lips at the prospect of facing such a weakened Spurs side, but similar applied in the first leg and they struggled, so a far better performance is needed.
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