Sports Mole

Bitter foes will renew hostilities in Wednesday's titanic Premier League North London derby, as Arsenal host Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates.

The two fierce rivals cross paths on the back of differing knockout results, as while Spurs have overcome Liverpool and Tamworth in the EFL Cup and FA Cup recently, the Gunners were beaten by Newcastle United and Manchester United in back-to-back games.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up the team news for both clubs ahead of Wednesday's blockbuster contest.

ARSENAL vs. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

ARSENAL

Out: Gabriel Jesus (knee), Ethan Nwaneri (muscle), Bukayo Saka (hamstring), Ben White (knee), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee)

Doubtful: Riccardo Calafiori (muscle)

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Tierney; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Sterling, Havertz, Trossard

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Out: Destiny Udogie (hamstring), Ben Davies (hamstring), Timo Werner (hamstring), Micky van de Ven (hamstring), Guglielmo Vicario (ankle), Wilson Odobert (hamstring), Cristian Romero (thigh), Rodrigo Bentancur (head)

Doubtful: Fraser Forster (illness)

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Kinsky; Porro, Gray, Dragusin, Spence; Bergvall, Sarr, Maddison; Kulusevski, Solanke, Son

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match .

Tottenham Hotspur new boy Antonin Kinsky is expected to make his Premier League debut when Spurs tackle Arsenal in Wednesday's mouthwatering North London derby at the Emirates Stadium.

The Czech shot-stopper has kept back-to-back clean sheets in his first two appearances for Ange Postecoglou's side, most recently helping Spurs survive a few scares against National League side Tamworth in the FA Cup.

Kinsky will now earn a Premier League baptism of fire in the midweek derby, which Destiny Udogie (hamstring), Ben Davies (hamstring), Richarlison (hamstring), Micky van de Ven (hamstring), Guglielmo Vicario (ankle), Wilson Odobert (hamstring), Cristian Romero (thigh) and Rodrigo Bentancur (head) will all be absent for.

Spurs' defensive fitness crisis means that there will be no respite for Pedro Porro, Archie Gray and Radu Dragusin at the back either, but Djed Spence should replace Sergio Reguilon on the left-hand side.

Postecoglou may also feel the need to spare Yves Bissouma following his 120-minute run-out at Tamworth, so EFL Cup semi-final hero Lucas Bergvall is in line for a midfield start alongside James Maddison and Pape Sarr.

It should be all change for Spurs in the final third, though, as Dominic Solanke, Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski come in for Timo Werner, Mikey Moore and Brennan Johnson.

Son came off the bench to set up Kulusevski's effort at Tamworth, and he needs just one more Premier League assist to break Spurs' club record - his current total of 68 is level with Darren Anderton.

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Kinsky; Porro, Gray, Dragusin, Spence; Bergvall, Sarr, Maddison; Kulusevski, Solanke, Son

Still the only team with their unbeaten Premier League home record intact this season, Arsenal are on a mission to right their recent knockout wrongs in Wednesday's mouthwatering North London derby with Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates.

While the Gunners' FA Cup run ended at the hands of holders Manchester United at the weekend, Ange Postecoglou's men put three past Tamworth without reply, albeit only after being taken to an additional 30 minutes.

Match preview

The walls of the Emirates have fallen down if Arsenal's last two home horror shows are anything to go by, as Mikel Arteta's troops have already ceded their hopes of FA Cup glory and will surely do the same in the EFL Cup after a pair of alarmingly toothless attacking displays.

Five days on from their gut-wrenching home loss to Newcastle United in the latter competition - where they were taught a harsh lesson in attacking ruthlessness - Arsenal were left to lament another pitiful performance in front of goal against 10-man Man United, who defied the odds to keep their FA Cup title defence going.

Altay Bayindir was the hero with two penalty saves, and Kai Havertz was the villain with a catalogue of shocking misses on a day where Gabriel Jesus was carried off on a stretcher with an all-too familiar knee injury, strengthening Gooners' arguments for a shiny new attacker in January.

However, the defiant Arteta has publicly backed his existing players to dig themselves out of their hole as they endeavour to avoid losing three games in a row for the first time since January 2024; defeat in the derby could see them sit nine points below Liverpool having played a game more depending on how the Reds fare at Nottingham Forest.

The second-placed Gunners may now be without a clean sheet in their last four games in all tournaments, but none of their last four Premier League contests at the Emirates has seen Arsenal concede, and they could do worse than ask Tamworth for pointers on how to keep Spurs at bay for 90 minutes.

The Tottenham faithful may have enjoyed Sunday evening's viewing, but their side's sorry performance against National League opposition would have been an extremely painful watch, at least until their Premier League quality finally showed in extra time at the Lamb Ground.

Minnows Tamworth more than earned their brief reprieve against Postecoglou's outfit and were not starved of chances to pull off a monumental cup upset, but Nathan Tshikuna's own goal, Dejan Kulusevski's effort and Brennan Johnson's strike spared Tottenham an extraordinary embarrassment.

Sticking to their Jekyll and Hyde theme, Spurs could not break down Tamworth in 90 minutes despite conquering Premier League leaders Liverpool in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final, and Postecoglou's men are now chasing three straight wins for the first time since early October.

However, the visitors to the Emirates have only taken one point from the last 12 on offer in the top flight and remain in the bottom half of the Premier League standings, mathematically closer to the relegation zone than the top seven despite their praiseworthy tally of 42 goals.

The Lilywhites were stunted in September's 1-0 home defeat to their bitter rivals, though, and they head to the Emirates having conceded in a staggering 25 consecutive Premier League games away to Arsenal, offering the home crowd hope of derby delirium even in their side's current attacking state.

Arsenal Premier League form:

Arsenal form (all competitions):

Tottenham Hotspur Premier League form:

Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):

Team News

Just as he was starting to find his feet in North London again, the extremely unfortunate Jesus damaged his knee yet again in the loss to Man United, although it is still not known whether the Brazil international has only suffered a scare or a more sinister problem.

Either way, Jesus is guaranteed to miss the derby alongside Ethan Nwaneri (muscle), Bukayo Saka (hamstring), Ben White (knee) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), while Riccardo Calafiori is also a serious doubt after missing the FA Cup loss with a muscular injury.

After 120 minutes of gruelling and fruitless efforts on Sunday, it would not be a shock to see Arteta change just under half of his team for Wednesday's crunch clash, although he may have no other option but to persist with the increasingly wasteful Havertz up front.

As for Postecoglou's men, it should be as you were on the injury front, with Destiny Udogie (hamstring), Ben Davies (hamstring), Richarlison (hamstring), Micky van de Ven (hamstring), Guglielmo Vicario (ankle), Wilson Odobert (hamstring), Cristian Romero (thigh) and Rodrigo Bentancur (head) missing out again.

Only Fraser Forster - who has been struggling with an illness - might force his way back into contention, but January signing Antonin Kinsky has quickly won Postecoglou over and should make his Premier League debut in the North London derby; a true baptism of fire.

Similarly to their hosts, a handful of changes should be on the cards for the Lilywhites, as Son Heung-min, Kulusevski, Dominic Solanke and EFL Cup match-winner Lucas Bergvall step back into the fray.

Arsenal possible starting lineup:

Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Tierney; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Sterling, Havertz, Trossard

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Kinsky; Porro, Gray, Dragusin, Spence; Bergvall, Sarr, Maddison; Kulusevski, Solanke, Son

We say: Arsenal 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur

The eagerly-anticipated North London derby seldom fails to deliver on the ferocity front, but as both sets of players completed two-hour FA Cup marathons after their EFL Cup exertions, this one may not be a classic quality-wise.

Confidently predicting which version of Spurs will show up is an impossible ask, but their struggles at Tamworth - even with a second-string attack starting the clash - are a serious cause for concern.

Arsenal are hardly firing on all cylinders up front either, but the Gunners are never short of chances to put the ball in the back of the net, and they may just need to take one of them on Wednesday to complete a morale-boosting derby double.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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Tottenham Hotspur attacker Dejan Kulusevski is supposedly being targeted by Napoli manager Antonio Conte as a possible replacement for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Conte dropped the bombshell on Saturday that Kvaratskhelia had asked to leave the club, and Paris Saint-Germain are believed to be edging closer to a deal for the Georgian sensation.

Liverpool were also tipped to move for Kvaratskhelia were he to become available, but the 23-year-old is already said to have reached an agreement in principle with PSG, who are now working to strike an accord with Napoli.

The exit of 'Kvaradona' will leave Conte with Matteo Politano, Cyril Ngonge, David Neres and Alessio Zerbin as his wide options, and the Partenopei are expected to scope out a replacement with any monies raised.

According to a report from Tuttomercatoweb, Napoli have drawn up a three-man shortlist of ideal heirs to the Kvaratskhelia throne, and Tottenham's Kulusevski is among them.

Kulusevski 'appreciated' by ex-Spurs boss Conte

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The Sweden international was brought to North London in January 2022 when Conte was at the Spurs helm, joining on an initial 18-month loan deal from Juventus before sealing a permanent switch for £25.2m.

Kulusevski quickly settled in North London, and even though Conte left Tottenham in explosive circumstances in 2023, the Scandinavian has continued to thrive under Ange Postecoglou's wing.

From 127 appearances in a Spurs shirt, Kulusevski has registered 23 goals and 27 assists, and he has enjoyed a particularly productive 2024-25 season with eight goals and eight assists from 31 games.

One of those efforts came in Sunday's 3-0 FA Cup win over Tamworth, as Spurs overcame the National League outfit in extra time after failing to break through during the initial 90 minutes at the Lamb Ground.

Kulusevski has thrived as both a right winger and central playmaker in the current campaign, and the report claims that Conte 'appreciates' the attacker thanks to his adaptability and technical skill.

Prising the Swede away from North London could be a tall order, though, as Kulusevski is contracted to Tottenham until 2028, and club chairman Daniel Levy will no doubt drive an extremely hard bargain.

Which other Premier League star could replace Kvaratskhelia?

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Should Napoli fail in their efforts to reunite Kulusevski with Conte, they have reportedly set their sights on a pair of alternative targets, including Liverpool's Federico Chiesa.

The Italian is yet to settle at Anfield since making the move from Juventus over the summer, but he scored his first goal for the club in Saturday's 4-0 FA Cup hammering of Accrington Stanley.

Liverpool are not expected to entertain permanent or loan offers for Chiesa during the January window, so Napoli may have to abandon their Premier League search in favour of Lille's Edon Zhegrova.

The Kosovo international has bagged eight goals in 21 appearances for Les Dogues this season, and his contract only runs until the end of next season.

National League hosts Premier League in an FA Cup mismatch on Sunday lunchtime, where Tamworth will endeavour to pull off a monumental giant killing at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

The fifth-tier Lambs have already eliminated Huddersfield Town and Burton Albion from this year's tournament, while Spurs defeated Liverpool 1-0 in their EFL Cup semi-final first leg in midweek, and here Sports Mole rounds up the team news for both sides.

TAMWORTH vs. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

TAMWORTH

Out: Ben Acquaye (ACL)

Doubtful: Callum Cockerill-Mollett (unspecified)

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Singh; Crompton, Libard, Hollis, Fairlamb; McGlinchey, Milnes, Tonks, Williams; Morrison; Creaney

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Out: Rodrigo Bentancur (head), Micky van de Ven (hamstring), Cristian Romero (thigh), Destiny Udogie (hamstring), Wilson Odobert (hamstring), Guglielmo Vicario (ankle), Ben Davies (hamstring) and Richarlison (hamstring)

Doubtful: Fraser Forster (illness)

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Kinsky; Gray, Dorrington, Dragusin, Reguilon; Maddison, Sarr, Bergvall; Werner, Lankshear, Moore

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here. body check tags ::

Tamworth's humble 4,000-seater home could be the scene of the next FA Cup giant killing on Sunday lunchtime, when Premier League titans Tottenham Hotspur rock up to the Lamb Ground for a blockbuster third-round tie.

The fifth-tier hosts are one of just two non-league teams still competing for cup stardom, while their revered visitors are approaching the 17-year mark without a major honour next to their name.

Match preview

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Out to avoid being on the wrong end of a knockout shock on Sunday, Tottenham have already come out on the correct end of one cup surprise this month, controversially edging out Liverpool in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final on Wednesday evening.

Mere moments after escaping a potential second yellow card for wiping out Kostas Tsimikas, Swedish sensation Lucas Bergvall produced the one moment of attacking quality needed to separate the two Wembley hopefuls, giving Ange Postecoglou's men a slender advantage to protect at Anfield next month.

The unforeseen beating of Arne Slot's troops represented an increasingly rare triumph for Tottenham, who only have four wins under their belt from their last 15 matches in all competitions and had gone without a victory in four straight matches before Bergvall's brilliance.

Early FA Cup exits have also been commonplace in North London since Spurs last made it to Wembley for the semi-finals in 2017-18; the visitors have failed to make it past the fifth round in any of their last six attempts, although they have not been eliminated in the third round since losing to North London rivals Arsenal in 2013-14.

Furthermore, the Lilywhites have prevailed in each of their last nine FA Cup contests versus non-league opponents since being stunned by then-Southern League side Norwich City 110 years ago, a run that includes a 5-0 humbling of Marine at this stage in 2021.

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Even if Tamworth end up suffering the same fate as their fellow non-league foes did four years ago, simply hosting a Premier League powerhouse at the Lamb Ground will represent a momentous occasion for Andy Peaks's men, who have already sent two of the 92 packing in this season's tournament.

After prevailing in a six-goal thriller with Macclesfield in the final preliminary stage, Tamworth defied the odds to eliminate Huddersfield Town in round one, before holding their nerve from 12 yards to get the better of Burton Albion and prolong their magical journey.

The National League side from Staffordshire are not total strangers to the FA Cup third round, having also made it this far in each of the 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2011-12 seasons, but they lost all three of those contests and are therefore yet to earn their maiden fourth-round appearance.

The Lambs do not come into Sunday's historic event with the wind in their sails either, having lost their last two games against Solihull Moors (2-0 in the National League) and Sutton United (1-0 in the FA Trophy); the former result left them languishing in 16th place in the National League table.

Peaks has now masterminded just one win from Tamworth's last six matches across all tournaments, but form is not the be all and end all for occasions such as Sunday's, where the Lambs will be pitting their wits against Premier League opposition in the FA Cup for just the second time after losing to David Moyes's Everton in 2012.

Tamworth FA Cup form:

Tamworth form (all competitions):

Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):

Team News

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Spurs' success over Liverpool in midweek was partially overshadowed by the serious head injury to Rodrigo Bentancur, but Tottenham confirmed at half time that the Uruguayan was conscious and communicating as he was sent to hospital for further tests.

An official update on Bentancur's condition is yet to land, but he will certainly join Spurs' lengthy absentee list for Sunday's game, which Micky van de Ven (hamstring), Cristian Romero (thigh), Destiny Udogie (hamstring), Wilson Odobert (hamstring), Guglielmo Vicario (ankle), Ben Davies (hamstring) and Richarlison (hamstring) should also be unavailable for.

Fraser Forster is also uncertain owing to illness, but new signing Antonin Kinsky excelled on his debut in the triumph over Liverpool, and Postecoglou will also have James Maddison and Pape Sarr back from suspension at the Lamb Ground.

The Spurs boss may have no choice but to field some senior players this weekend, but expect the likes of Will Lankshear, Alfie Dorrington and Mikey Moore - assuming he is fully recovered from a troubling illness - to make the first XI.

As for the non-league hosts, 25-year-old attacker Ben Acquaye is on the long road to recovery from an ACL rupture, and left-back Callum Cockerill-Mollett was not involved in the loss to Sutton after picking up an injury in the Solihull Moors defeat.

On a brighter note, 6ft 3in centre-back Jordan Cullinane-Liburd made his return from a three-game ban in the FA Trophy defeat, and having started the successes over Huddersfield and Burton Albion, the 29-year-old ought to come back into the first XI for the visit of Spurs.

Tamworth possible starting lineup:

Singh; Crompton, Libard, Hollis, Fairlamb; McGlinchey, Milnes, Tonks, Williams; Morrison; Creaney

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Austin; Gray, Dorrington, Dragusin, Reguilon; Maddison, Sarr, Bergvall; Werner, Lankshear, Moore

We say: Tamworth 0-5 Tottenham Hotspur

An already injury-hit Tottenham side should put out a highly inexperienced attack and defence for Sunday's game, offering Tamworth a sliver of hope that they can pull off the upset of all upsets.

However, Postecoglou's lack of senior options means that he should still field a few players with plentiful experience, and it will surely only be a case of how many the Lilywhites win by.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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Liverpool must start Trent Alexander-Arnold on Wednesday against Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final clash, despite the right-back having performed poorly against Manchester United last Sunday, Red expert David Lynch has argued.

Arne Slot's side failed to capitalise on Arsenal's draw with Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday when they drew 2-2 with United, though they are still currently six points clear of the Gunners in the table.

Several Liverpool players underperformed against the Red Devils, though perhaps none more so than Alexander-Arnold, who some accused of not being committed to the club due to Real Madrid's interest in his signature.

Conor Bradley was substituted on in place of the right-back late in the match, but Lynch does not believe Alexander-Arnold's spot in the XI should be in question on Wednesday against Spurs, telling Sports Mole: "The problem Slot has got is that if he does go relatively full strength and Trent isn't in that team, it's not a great look, is it? It [becomes] a commentary on his performance.

"I don't think he can [start Bradley over Alexander-Arnold]. I think he'll look at the Accrington game as a chance to give Conor Bradley minutes as well [and] maybe that nudges him closer to becoming genuine competition at right-back, but with Trent - I think he's going to have to start because he does need to get it out of his system.

"We can't always be focused on the last game. We do that too much in football. Trent's a brilliant player and has been brilliant this season, so I'm sure if he does play - and I expect him to play - that he'll be back to his best, or at least close to it."

A good performance from Alexander-Arnold on Wednesday could help alleviate a lot of the scrutiny he has faced following his side's draw with Manchester United and rubbish claims that he is not committed to the club.

Should Liverpool be confident of beating Tottenham Hotspur?

Liverpool have already faced Spurs away from home this season, beating them 6-3 on December 22 in the league, and there is an argument that the scoreline flattered Ange Postecoglou's side.

Mohamed Salah managed to score twice and pick up two assists without even being at his best, while Dominik Szoboszlai was undoubtedly Slot's best midfield performer.

Lynch was keen to emphasise to Sports Mole just how good an opportunity Liverpool have to reach the final, saying: "[They've] got every chance. I don't think Tottenham's defence is going to be looking any better in terms of personnel. They've got real fitness issues there. I feel a bit for Ange, actually, because I don't think that's been talked about enough as one of the reasons they are so bad at the moment.

"Even if it doesn't end up in a 6-3 hammering, [Liverpool] should still be extremely confident of winning this. Spurs still have all the same issues, you know exactly how they're going to approach it. I think Liverpool should be able to get at them.

"If you can build up a decent first leg lead, it gives you a chance to make, not full rotation for the second leg, but a few changes for that one and mix it up a little bit, particularly with the Anfield factor. It's one that Liverpool should be looking forward to, and especially to get the United game out of the system, so they should have every confidence to get the result there."

Tottenham lost 2-1 against Newcastle United on January 4 in the Premier League, but they were forced to field third-choice goalkeeper Brandon Austin between the posts, and lined up in the second half with midfielder Archie Gray and right-back Djed Spence in central defence.

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Should Liverpool take the EFL Cup seriously?

With Liverpool ahead in the title race, there is a line of thinking that they should prioritise the Premier League and field considerably weaker teams in the two legs against Tottenham.

However, Liverpool's next game in the league is against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday, and the Reds' match against League Two side Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup on Saturday seems like a better opportunity for rest and rotation.

Lynch expressed his belief to Sports Mole that Slot can afford to field a full-strength XI due to the kind fixture scheduling, saying: "I saw the League Cup as a competition where Liverpool should continue to rotate to make sure that they don't drive the players into the ground, but actually, the way this has fallen now with the FA Cup game at the weekend, I actually think Liverpool should go full strength to keep the rhythm up.

"Those players [that play against Tottenham can] come back in for the Nottingham Forest game the following week, [and] I think that's the way they should go about it - heavily rotate for the FA Cup."

Should Liverpool advance to the final, they will face either Arsenal or Newcastle United, though it looks as if they would face the Toon given their 2-0 win against the Gunners in the first leg on Tuesday night at the Emirates.

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Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool meet in North London in the second of this week's EFL Cup semi-final first legs on Wednesday.

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou will be seeking to take the cup off holders Liverpool in order to stick to his promise of always delivering a trophy within two years at all of his clubs, while Arne Slot will be looking to replicate predecessor Jurgen Klopp, who won this competition last season.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR vs. LIVERPOOL

© Imago

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Out: James Maddison (suspended), Pape Matar Sarr (suspended), Micky van de Ven (hamstring), Cristian Romero (thigh), Ben Davies (hamstring), Destiny Udogie (hamstring), Guglielmo Vicario (ankle), Richarlison (hamstring), Mikey Moore (illness), Wilson Odobert (hamstring)

Doubtful: Radu Dragusin (illness), Archie Gray (illness), Fraser Forster (illness)

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Kinsky; Pedro Porro, Dragusin, Gray, Spence; Bissouma, Bentancur, Kulusevski; Johnson, Solanke, Son

LIVERPOOL

Out: Joe Gomez (hamstring)

Doubtful: Dominik Szoboszlai (illness)

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Kelleher; Bradley, Quansah, Konate, Tsimikas; Morton, Endo, Szoboszlai; Elliott, Jota, Nunez

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match .

After making a losing start to 2025, Tottenham Hotspur's injury-hit side will welcome Liverpool to North London in an EFL Cup semi-final first leg on Wednesday.

Ange Postecoglou was without 10 players for the 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United on Saturday, and more players dropped down with issue that afternoon, adding the Spurs manager's headache heading into this crucial cup tie.

The Aussie has made it abundantly clear that he always wins a trophy within two years at any club he has managed, placing huge pressure on him to get it right in this two-legged affair, with resources limited.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up Tottenham's very lengthy injury list ahead of the visit of Liverpool, who sit top of the Premier League, and won this competition last season, beating Chelsea in the final.

Destiny Udogie

© Imago

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: February 16 (vs. Man United)

Udogie was forced off early in the second half with a hamstring injury in the 2-2 draw with Wolves just over a week ago, and the left-back is set to miss the next six weeks of action following a scan.

Guglielmo Vicario

© Imago

Status: Out

Type of injury: Ankle

Possible return date: March 8 (vs. Bournemouth)

Italian international Vicario is "pushing every boundary" in his recovery from a broken ankle, according to Postecoglou, but Spurs' first-choice keeper will be out for another couple of months at least, leading to the club signing Czech stopper Antonin Kinsky this week.

Cristian Romero

© Imago

Status: Out

Type of injury: Thigh

Possible return date: January 26 (vs. Leicester)

Romero was forced off in the first half of their 4-3 loss at home to Chelsea last month, and remains out with the thigh problem he sustained that afternoon, but a return before the end of January is not beyond the Argentine defender.

Richarlison

© Imago

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: January 19 (vs. Everton)

Richarlison has missed almost the entire season with injury, breaking down again after a brief return at the end of October, but he is set to overcome his current hamstring problem in the next week or so, according to manager Postecoglou.

Micky van de Ven

© Imago

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: January 26 (vs. Leicester)

Van de Ven suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury immediately after his return in the defeat to Chelsea back in December, and Postecoglou believes he will not make a comeback until the end of the month.

Wilson Odobert

© Imago

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: Unknown

After undergoing hamstring surgery in November, Odobert remains sidelined for the foreseeable future, but he is stepping up his recovery even though no timeframe has been placed on the winger's return.

Mikey Moore

© Imago

Status: Out

Type of injury: Illness

Possible return date: January 15 (vs. Arsenal)

Promising teenager Moore has been out with an illness shrouded in secrecy for some time now, and while Postecoglou has been reluctant to comment on the matter, he has revealed the attacker should return in the next week or so.

Ben Davies

© Imago

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: January 23 (vs. Hoffenheim)

Davies broke down with a hamstring problem during a defeat Bournemouth at the start of December, and the Welshman has suffered a setback in his recovery recently, which will keep him sidelined until roughly the end of January.

TOTTENHAM'S SUSPENSION LIST

Spurs have no players suspended for this clash, with Rodrigo Bentancur available again after serving a one-match ban for yellow card accumulation over the weekend.

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With no Premier League fixture until next midweek, Liverpool boss Arne Slot could name a slightly stronger side than expected when they go to North London to face Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final on Wednesday.

Slot has made wholesale changes in all three previous rounds of this competition, and those fringe players have played their part, securing wins over three fellow Premier League clubs.

However, with Accrington Stanley coming up in the FA Cup on Saturday, Slot may hold back on heavy rotation until that game, especially with the chance of reaching a major cup final on the line this midweek.

For the likes of Ibrahima Konate, this could be an opportunity for him to build his fitness up after being thrown in at the deep end against Manchester United on Sunday, following over six weeks out.

Three players still set for a rest though, are Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Ryan Gravenberch, arguably the most important players in their title charge so far.

For the likes of Diogo Jota and Kostas Tsimikas, they will hope to use this fixture as a springboard to return to the starting XI in the Premier League, chiefly for the Greek left-back, with Andy Robertson performing below his usual standard this season.

Most of the headlines on Sunday surrounded Trent Alexander-Arnold's performance though, so Slot will be glad to have Conor Bradley back from injury in order to take the Real Madrid-linked man out of the line of fire, especially with Joe Gomez currently out injured.

Gomez is Liverpool's only injury absentee at present, because Dominik Szoboszlai will return shortly after being struck down with a virus over the weekend, and could be brought in if he is able to recover.

A fifth booking of the season for Darwin Nunez at the weekend has triggered a Premier League suspension, so with the Uruguayan set to miss the clash with Nottingham Forest next week, he is likely to start here, after also doing so, and scoring, in the previous round against Southampton.

Liverpool possible starting lineup:

Kelleher; Bradley, Quansah, Konate, Tsimikas; Morton, Endo, Szoboszlai; Elliott, Jota, Nunez

Click here to see how Spurs could line up for Wednesday's semi-final.

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