Tottenham’s Revival Amid Injury Woes

Tottenham finally have a pulse. After a winless, grim opening to the season that left them rooted to the bottom of the Premier League, Roberto De Zerbi has dragged Spurs off the canvas and out of the relegation zone. Coventry were brushed aside at home. Chelsea were beaten at Stamford Bridge – only Tottenham’s second league victory there in 36 years.

Momentum, at last.

Scratch the surface, though, and the picture is far less comfortable. De Zerbi’s squad is creaking. Key players are missing, others are patched up, and the medical bulletin remains almost as long as the fixture list.

With another London derby against Crystal Palace next and Arsenal looming in early December, Spurs are trying to build a surge with half a team in the treatment room.

Maddison’s torment continues

No one embodies Tottenham’s injury torment quite like James Maddison.

The playmaker spent the back end of last season clawing his way back from a ruptured ACL. He barely had time to exhale before this campaign delivered a shoulder fracture. Now, just as he began to knit De Zerbi’s attack together again, his body has betrayed him once more.

At Stamford Bridge, Maddison sank to the turf in the second half, clearly distressed, clutching his groin as team-mates gathered around. For a moment, it felt like another devastating twist in a brutal 18 months.

There was at least a flicker of good news. Maddison walked away from the ground unaided and later joined in the post-match celebrations on the pitch. The early word is that the groin issue is not thought to be serious, and De Zerbi himself downplayed the severity, calling him a “special player” and making no attempt to hide how badly he needs him.

Spurs will not rush him, but the hope inside the club is that he could be back in early November. Until then, every team sheet will be scanned for his name.

Udogie’s absence lingers

On the opposite flank of Tottenham’s problems sits Destiny Udogie, who has yet to feature in either of their league wins.

Officially, it is a “fitness issue”. In reality, it stems from a knee problem suffered against Manchester United that has kept the Italian from training and clearly irritated his head coach. De Zerbi has spoken openly about the frustration of being unable to work with a player so central to his plans.

Udogie still feels pain in the knee. There is optimism he could return at some point in November, but until he is back on the grass consistently, the left side of Spurs’ defence will remain a makeshift operation.

Adarabioyo’s debut cut short

Tosin Adarabioyo’s first start in Tottenham colours, against Coventry, offered a glimpse of what he can bring: composure, height, control. Then, in classic Spurs fashion, his full debut was cut short by a suspected calf problem.

De Zerbi suggested the issue was not especially serious, yet the defender did not even make the squad for the Chelsea win. The expectation is that he could return in time for the Crystal Palace game at home on October 31, but Spurs have learned the hard way this season that nothing is guaranteed.

Bergvall close to a return

Lucas Bergvall’s situation is at least more straightforward.

The Swedish midfielder has been sidelined since taking a knock in the draw at Old Trafford. The problem, felt early in the move that produced a chance for Dominic Solanke, was in his knee but was quickly diagnosed and given a clear two-week recovery window by De Zerbi.

Those two weeks are now up. The plan is for Bergvall to be available again for the Palace fixture, restoring another option to a midfield that has been stretched thin.

Savio’s muscle problem drags on

Savio, one of the headline summer arrivals from Manchester City, has barely had a chance to settle before injury halted his progress.

He was one of three casualties in the 1-1 draw with Manchester United and has since been ruled out with a muscle problem, the exact nature of which remains undisclosed. De Zerbi revealed that the Brazilian felt the issue on the Tuesday before the squad flew to Marbella for a training camp, and Spurs expect to be without him for “some weeks”.

The working target is the home game against Ipswich on November 21, but that sits on the optimistic end of the spectrum. Until then, his impact remains theoretical rather than tangible.

Waiting on Mudryk

The intrigue around Mykhailo Mudryk’s loan from Chelsea has quickly given way to frustration.

Since crossing London on Deadline Day, the Ukrainian has managed just a single appearance for Spurs. An ankle injury in training last month prompted De Zerbi to brand it a “stupid” setback, and the club initially sketched out a six-to-eight-week absence from mid-September.

That would place his potential return in early November. Even then, Tottenham are treading carefully. Mudryk has not played back-to-back competitive games since November 2024, and his parent-club status meant he was never going to feature at Stamford Bridge anyway.

Spurs still do not know what version of Mudryk they have. The coming weeks will decide whether this loan becomes a turning point in his career or another false start.

Odobert and Simons on the long road back

Beyond the short-term headaches, Tottenham are also nursing two long-term projects.

Wilson Odobert has been out since tearing his ACL in a defeat to Newcastle in February. The winger has stepped up his rehab at Hotspur Way after surgery and is said to be progressing well, but De Zerbi admitted last week he has “no idea” when Odobert will be ready to rejoin full training. December is the tentative target, nothing more.

Xavi Simons faces an even longer journey. The midfielder’s own ACL rupture in April has effectively written off his immediate future; Spurs are looking at early 2027 for a realistic return. For now, his name sits at the bottom of the injury list, a reminder of how fragile any squad can be.

So Tottenham march into another derby with Palace with confidence rising but bodies missing. The football is sharper, the mood lighter, the table less claustrophobic. Yet every step forward comes with a glance towards the treatment room.

If De Zerbi can keep the results coming while that door stays busy, what happens when this squad is finally whole?