Spurs captain Romero was on Friday handed a one-match suspension and fined £50,000 after admitting a Football Association (FA) charge that followed his reaction to a late sending off in the 2-1 defeat by Liverpool last month.
Mohammed Kudus, meanwhile, suffered a quad injury during last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Sunderland and will not be back fit until early April.
“Kudus is a bigger one, to the tendon and quad, and don't expect him back until after the March international break,” under-fire Tottenham boss Thomas Frank said in his pre-match press conference.
Rodrigo Bentancur is facing a significant spell on the sidelines, too, after suffering a hamstring injury during Spurs’ damaging 3-2 defeat by Bournemouth on Wednesday. Lucas Bergvall similarly misses out after coming off against the Cherries with what appeared to be a muscle injury.
With Kudus out, Wilson Odobert starts on the right wing with Xavi Simons at No10 and Mathys Tel on the left. Richarilson replaces Randal Kolo Muani up top.
Solanke is still understood to be building up fitness having resumed training following ankle surgery, but his unexpected return to the bench for today’s game will be welcome news to Spurs fans; so too will the return of Udogie, who is also among the substitutes today after his recent hamstring troubles.
Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison remain absent, however, and fellow midfielders Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr are both still away at the Africa Cup of Nations. The former was sent off on Friday as Mali lost to Senegal in the quarter-finals.