Tottenham Faces Anfield Challenge Without Key Players

Roberto De Zerbi will walk into Anfield on Tuesday night without Sandro Tonali – and without a clutch of other big names – as Tottenham Hotspur prepare for a Carabao Cup third‑round tie already shaped by absences.

Tonali, 26, has taken a knock and will not be involved, De Zerbi confirmed at Hotspur Way on Monday. He joins a lengthening list of players ruled out for the trip to Liverpool.

“Kulusevski not available, Pedro still not available, Udogie yes. No Sandro Tonali, he felt a knock,” the Spurs manager said, via football.london.

One return, several setbacks

The good news for Spurs is finally seeing Destiny Udogie back in the fold after his long wait on the sidelines. The bad news is that almost everywhere else on the team sheet, De Zerbi is crossing off names.

Dejan Kulusevski is out. Pedro Porro is out. Mykhailo Mudryk, Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert will also miss the tie, stripping Tottenham of pace and invention in the wide areas.

Then there is Richarlison.

The Brazilian’s future has hung over Spurs since the summer, when he made clear he wanted to leave. Technically, he could play in the Carabao Cup despite not being registered for Premier League action. In reality, he will not even make the squad.

“Richarlison, you already know everything, so nothing changes with the Carabao Cup or Premier League,” De Zerbi said, underlining that the situation remains frozen.

A fractured relationship

Pressed again on why such a high‑profile forward remains in limbo, De Zerbi chose his words carefully but made the fault lines obvious.

“I said last press conference,” he began. “I know what happened in the last 45 days. It’s not right if I explained. It’s not my behavior, the relationship. The problem is between the player and the club. I stay within the club. It’s coach and club together.

“At the start of this season, I spoke to him many times to convince him to stay, and he didn’t want to. I can’t go every day to pray for him to stay.”

The message is blunt. De Zerbi has moved on. So must his attack.

Solanke’s chance, Marmoush and Savio’s reset

With Richarlison frozen out and several wide men missing, the focus shifts to those who are available. De Zerbi name‑checked Dominic Solanke, Omar Marmoush and Savio as the players who now have to carry the load.

“[Dominic] Solanke is a good player. He needs to improve his physical condition and stay positive because he can score many goals with us,” he said.

“[Omar] Marmoush and Savio were not the protagonist but that is different here.”

It is a clear challenge. Solanke must sharpen up. Marmoush and Savio, previously on the fringes elsewhere, are being told that Tottenham can be their stage.

Liverpool juggling the schedule

On the other side, Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola is fighting a different battle: time.

This tie is the third game in seven days for his side, and he made no attempt to hide his frustration with the calendar when he spoke to reporters on Monday, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo.

“It’s the third game (in seven days) it’s the worst scenario in terms of schedule, we haven’t been lucky,” he said.

“After this one we have a little bit more before we play Bournemouth and you noticed the gap between Ipswich and Atletico and Atletico and Fulham. It’s a big difference.”

Fatigue and risk

Iraola knows he cannot simply pick the same XI and hope for the best.

“We have to get used to it. You can put the same players in every game. The problem is there will be a moment they are really tired, and there is more risk of injury.

“There are players who play every three days and have no issues; they can accept it, and performances don’t change too much. Then there are players where the risk is bigger and the performances are different.

“And we are in a position where I have to learn who is ready to play and who is ready to rest, so their performance level doesn’t drop. I had an idea with some of them, but for some of them it is new as they haven’t played as many games before.”

So Liverpool arrive stretched by schedule, Tottenham by selection. One coach is juggling minutes, the other juggling bodies. By full-time at Anfield, we may know which strain bites harder in a season that is already asking brutal questions of both squads.