Tottenham Hotspur have one of the worst injury records in the Premier League so far this season.
Save for a goalkeeper, you could almost field a full XI with players they currently have in the treatment room, not helped by Cristian Romero picking up a straight red card against Manchester United, his second of the season, meaning he will start a four-game suspension when the Lilywhites face Newcastle United.
His defensive colleague, Pedro Porro, is another one of those absentees, who hasn’t played since going off at half-time against Burnley towards the end of January.
Is Pedro Porro fit to face Newcastle United?
Frank originally said he was just managing the workload of the Spain international, but later admitted that it was, in fact, a hamstring injury that was set to keep him sidelined for weeks.
Helpfully, the Spurs boss did provide a timeline, so we know roughly when to expect him back.
Speaking to journalists in January, Frank said: “Pedro hasn’t travelled [to the Eintracht Frankfurt game on 28 January].
“Unfortunately, he’s picked up a hamstring injury, so he’ll be out for four weeks.”
Frank said that one Tuesday 27 January, which would make the Newcastle game three weeks exactly, and leave Porro with just one week of recovery time left.
That means that he could be in line for some involvement in the North London Derby, which falls on the Sunday of the same week he’s currently projected to return.
His return would be a huge boost, especially against the Gunners.
Porro and Richarlison are the only two players Frank is hoping to have back at some point this month.
Kevin Danso, Destiny Udogie, Lucas Bergvall, Ben Davies, Mohammed Kudus, Rodrigo Bentancur, Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison are all expect to return between March and the summer.
And because of how Romero’s suspension has fallen, he won’t be back in action for Spurs for over a month, with Spurs’ trip to Anfield in the middle of March marking his return.
Frank’s job is already somewhat under pressure with the side now in 15th place in the table, and his luck with injuries this season certainly isn’t making it any easier.