A depleted Tottenham side will travel to Anfield to face Liverpool.
Following the heavy 5-2 loss to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, there was speculation about Tottenham Hotspur replacing interim coach Igor Tudor. However, the club decided to retain him, and he held a press conference on Friday ahead of their match against Liverpool.
Tudor provided a concerning injury update on his squad. He confirmed that Cristian Romero and Joao Palhinha will miss the game due to concussion protocols following a head injury against Atletico Madrid. Additionally, Micky van de Ven is suspended after receiving a red card in the recent loss to Crystal Palace. Yves Bissouma is dealing with an issue, and Conor Gallagher is ill, though there is hope he will recover in time.
This situation will require Tudor to adjust his starting lineup again for the match on Sunday. With Romero and Van de Ven unavailable, there will be shifts in the defense, and Archie Gray may be chosen to play in a back three.
Igor Tudor praises “amazing” Archie Gray ahead of Liverpool game
Archie Gray has been a standout player in a challenging season. The young Englishman, who recently turned 20, has played in multiple positions across defense and midfield. It is tough for a young player to remain consistent while frequently changing roles, but Gray has shown impressive maturity and composure.
This highlights Gray’s talent, and Tudor acknowledged this in his press conference. The Spurs coach expressed great respect for Gray, calling him “amazing” before the trip to Anfield.
“That’s the problem. He needs to, every game, change the position, tomorrow again,” Tudor said.
“Four games here, four positions for Archie Gray. He’s an amazing player, but that’s been that. Something’s wrong. Beautiful guy, beautiful player. I didn’t know him before so much, so from inside, he has my big respect.”