One key Tottenham defender is unavailable for the London derby against Crystal Palace.
Igor Tudor is preparing for an important match in North London, as Crystal Palace visits Tottenham Hotspur for a Premier League game on Thursday evening.
The interim head coach has had a tough start at Spurs, losing his first two matches. His team faced a heavy defeat against Arsenal in the North London derby and lost 2-1 to Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday. These results have left Spurs in 16th place in the standings, just four points above the relegation zone.
After the loss to Fulham, Tudor expressed the need for better performance and quality from his players in the upcoming games. There are suggestions that he could be dismissed if Tottenham does not secure a win against Crystal Palace.
Igor Tudor updates on Tottenham’s injury situation
As Tudor seeks his first win as Tottenham’s manager, the injury situation is critical. Pedro Porro and Kevin Danso returned from injury against Fulham, leading to some optimism. However, Djed Spence missed the match due to a minor calf injury.
It is now confirmed by Tudor that Spence will not be available for the Crystal Palace match but may be fit for the Champions League last-16 first leg against Atletico Madrid next week.
“No, Djed is out,” said Tudor on Wednesday. “Not ready for the game tomorrow. We hope for Champions League game,” he added during the press conference (h/t Football London).
Spence’s absence is a significant loss for Tottenham, who are still facing an injury crisis and are without captain Cristian Romero due to suspension. Romero will miss the fourth and final game of his suspension against Crystal Palace after receiving a straight red card in the 2-0 defeat to Manchester United last month.