Tottenham Hotspur will be without captain Son Heung-min for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup fourth-round clash against Manchester City.
The South Korean forward returned from a hamstring injury earlier this month, only to miss the recent matches against AZ Alkmaar and Crystal Palace due to recurring soreness.
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou confirmed that Son will be sidelined for the City clash but is expected to return for the Premier League match against Aston Villa on Sunday.
“Sonny, no. Well, he is almost fit, but we will probably, from our perspective, aim him for the weekend. We’re quite confident he will be right for the weekend,” Postecoglou said (via the Independent).
The Australian boss also revealed that young defender Wilson Odobert has suffered a serious setback and will be unavailable for the foreseeable future.
Son’s absence is a significant blow for Spurs, particularly given his impressive record against City. The 32-year-old attacker has scored eight goals in 19 appearances against the Citizens.
With Son out, Richarlison could be deployed on the left flank, a position he has occupied in the past. “I think Richy has obviously played a lot of his football on the left, and he’s definitely an option there for us and an option through the middle as well,” Postecoglou added.
Postecoglou has spoken about how he always wins titles in his second season and will know that the League Cup is one of the best opportunities to end their 16-year trophy drought.
Spurs should field a strong side against City. Man City boss Pep Guardiola has talked about not bringing the best of his squad for this competition, but the world must have learnt not to take his words at face value.
Tottenham must keep an eye out for the visit of Villa on Sunday. Spurs will likely be vying with the Villains for a place in the UEFA Champions League, and this match-up is an opportunity to make a statement of intent.