A partial tear of his MCL means Cristian Romero won't be around for the relegation scrap. His World Cup had been thrust into doubt, too, hence the emotion on Sunday, but there's an expectation that Tottenham's captain will be fit for the start of Argentina's defence this summer.
There's a very strong possibility that Romero has played his last game for the club, irrespective of whether we go down or not.
His legacy in north London was greatly elevated after last season's run to Europa League glory, and he was Son Heung-min's natural successor as captain. However, the 2025/26 season has been a mess, and Romero has greatly contributed. While obviously talented, the defender hasn't emerged as the leader this young Spurs squad need/needed. Suspensions have rendered him far too unavailable, and concentration lapses have compromised defensive stability.
Nevertheless, he's someone we desperately needed to get us out of this current peril. New manager Roberto De Zerbi was set to lean on him down the stretch, but a cynical Brian Brobbey push at the Stadium of Light means an alternate hero must emerge over these next six cup finals.
Playmakers must come to the fore if Tottenham are to avoid relegation
The perfectly capable Kevin Danso will fill in for Romero. A great character and useful defender, Danso cannot provide what the Argentine does in possession but will at least stay on the field for 90 minutes.
The Austrian's importance alongside Micky van de Ven is obvious, and Spurs need to stumble upon a newfound robustness defensively if they are to secure the necessary points. We didn't learn all that much on De Zerbi's debut, but there's hope that the Italian's possession principles will limit the amount of defending Spurs actually have to do.
If Spurs are to survive, though, De Zerbi must embrace the flawed playmaker at his disposal. Tottenham's midfield is woefully built, with recruitment in this part of the pitch predicated on running rather than passing. We've felt the effects all season.
Rodrigo Bentancur's return should serve as a boost despite his indifference for the previous 18 months, and it may be worth De Zerbi trusting the chaotic but courageous Yves Bissouma in the build-up phase. These two, as well as Archie Gray, will be imperative in Tottenham getting the ball upfield, and serving who simply has to be De Zerbi's most advanced midfielder for the next six games.
Xavi Simons has flattered to deceive for the most part in year one, but whenever Tottenham have had success this season, the imperfect but gifted playmaker has often been at the forefront. It's no coincidence that Xavi has started 11 of the 12 games we've won across all competitions since he joined the club.
The Dutchman was outstanding in back-to-back December wins over Brentford and Slavia Prague, before grabbing home games against Manchester City and Atlético Madrid by the scruff of the neck in a particularly bleak 2026. His showing in the round of 16 second leg was perhaps his best in Lilywhite, yet Igor Tudor benched him for the relegation six-pointer with Nottingham Forest days later.
Xavi, admittedly, has struggled at times since his standout second half performance against the Cityzens, but his recent underutilisation contributed to Tudor's undoing and ensured De Zerbi's reign didn't get off to a productive start.
I know plenty of us like to get caught up in the idea that these players "don't want it enough" or aren't offering the requisite passion to preserve our Premier League status, but Xavi can't be accused of downing tools. He's flawed and may never develop into a Tottenham superstar, but Tottenham have sorely lacked any creative spark in recent defeats.
De Zerbi simply has nothing to lose by trusting the 22-year-old, who, unless James Maddison makes a surprise return before the end of the season, is the most important figure in our scrap against relegation.