Evening Standard

The two teams met on this exact day in 2018 with Wolves leaving Wembley Stadium, Tottenham’s home at the time, with a 3-1 win thanks to a devastating 15-minute spell.

Djed Spence is suspended after being sent off at the City Ground, so Pedro Porro will return at right-back, while Yves Bissouma, James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall could freshen up the midfield after being rested against Forest.

Tottenham captain Heung-min Son could be given a much-needed rest, with Kulusevski switching to the front three and Brennan Johnson moving to the left wing.

Vitor Pereira will be reunited with Ange Postecoglou on the touchline this afternoon after their paths crossed a number of years ago in the Asian Champions League.

“I appreciate him a lot because we competed in Asia. He was the manager of Yokohama F. Marinos, and I was the manager of Shanghai SIPG in China,” Pereira said. “We played in the Asian Champions League two or three times.

“He’s a manager with different ideas, very offensive ideas, but it’s a team that can score a lot of goals. It means that we need to be at our best level to compete with this team. The next game will be very, very hard for us, but we must recover now and prepare for the game.”

"One of two things needs to happen: either you somehow change the fixture schedule, which doesn't seem feasible, or you allow clubs bigger squads," Postecoglou said. "Then you have other issues with that, as well.

"The attrition rate you're seeing, it's not just us [but] we're going through a particularly bad moment. Newcastle went through it last year and it affected them pretty badly, they were obviously in the Champions League as well and probably didn't have the squad to cope with it."

Spurs are still creating chances but this Wolves side will not offer them much space in behind, while also exploiting the same opportunities behind Ange Postecoglou's high line.

Supporters cannot watch what is a big game for Ange Postecoglou

Spurs hopeful key centre-back will be fit after defensive crisis deepened

Dan Kilpatrick @ Dan_KP1 minute ago

Tottenham have been sweating on the fitness of Radu Dragusin ahead of their clash with Wolves.

Dragusin was forced off at Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day and the defensive crisis at Spurs deepened after Ben Davies suffered a setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury.

Dragusin was due to be assessed on Friday but Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that Davies faces a “couple of weeks” on the sidelines, potentially leaving the Spurs head coach without a single senior centre-half against Wolves.

Archie Gray, 18, will continue to deputise in the heart of defence and could be partnered by Rodrigo Bentancur or fellow teenager Alfie Dorrington, who recently made his Spurs debut in the 5-0 win over Southampton.

Djed Spence is suspended after being sent off at the City Ground, so Pedro Porro will return at right-back, while Yves Bissouma, James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall could freshen up the midfield after being rested against Forest.

Spurs captain Heung-min Son could be given a much-needed rest, with Kulusevski switching to the front three and Brennan Johnson moving to the left wing.

Micky van de Ven (hamstring), Cristian Romero (quad), Guglielmo Vicario (foot), Wilson Odobert, Richarlison (both hamstring) and Mikey Moore (illness) remain sidelined.

Spurs predicted XI (4-3-3): Forster; Porro, Gray, Bentancur, Udogie; Bissouma, Bergvall, Maddison; Kulusevski, Solanke, Johnson

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Four defeats in five for Spurs leaves Ange Postecoglou fearing for his job

Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou has called for clubs to be allowed bigger squads to mitigate the impact of the schedule after his injury crisis deepened this week.

Postecoglou may be without a single senior centre-back for this weekend's visit of Wolves after Radu Dragusin was forced off with an ankle complaint in the Boxing Day defeat by Nottingham Forest and Ben Davies suffered a setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury.

Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero were among the seven senior players missing for Spurs at the City Ground as they suffered their fourth loss in the last five Premier League games, while Djed Spence will be suspended this weekend after a late red card.

Premier League clubs and those competing in Europe are limited to 25 senior players but Postecoglou believes either the calendar or the rules must change.

"One of two things needs to happen: either you somehow change the fixture schedule, which doesn't seem feasible, or you allow clubs bigger squads," Postecoglou said. "Then you have other issues with that, as well.

"The attrition rate you're seeing, it's not just us [but] we're going through a particularly bad moment. Newcastle went through it last year and it affected them pretty badly, they were obviously in the Champions League as well and probably didn't have the squad to cope with it.

"It hits certain clubs at different times and is probably becoming more prevalent and for all of us it's a challenge as to how we navigate this process to keep our players healthy. It's not just a physical thing, it's a mental thing.

"For us it's been constant since August and we're not even halfway through the year, and they're not going to get a break now."

Spurs will have their first week off since August - excluding international breaks - between Sunday's game and the visit of Newcastle on January 4.

Postecoglou believes his side have had a raw deal from the schedule but is hopeful of welcoming back forwards Mikey Moore and Richarlison after the Wolves game.

"We’ve always for some bizarre reason seemed to have a day less than every opponent we’ve played so far so it affects us both ways," he said.

"We all know how it works. We’re at the behest of higher authorities and broadcasters when it comes to fixturing. There’s very little say we have apart from accepting the fact this is going to be our schedule.

"Mikey and Richy are in the final phases," he added. "Next week they can start training. We've got a bit of a gap before the Newcastle game. The plan is Mikey and Richy come back into first-team training next week."

Postecoglou was hopeful of having Davies fit again to face Wolves for the first time since he pulled up in the defeat to Bournemouth on December 5.

But the Wales international is the latest Spurs player to suffer a setback shortly after returning to training or action after Wilson Odobert, Van de Ven, Romero and Richarlison.

"That's been our major problem this year: guys who are coming back from injury rather than us losing players, as such," Postecoglou said.

"Knock on wood but the core group of players who are training and playing games have no issues. So we're looking at those things and why they're happening. It's certainly happened too often this year where guys have come back and they're the ones who are missing.

"I think just about all of them, apart from Vic [Guglielmo Vicario], are recurrences of an injury. Even with Romero, it was a different injury, but it's still a guy coming back, so it's something we're looking at."

Nottingham Forest strengthened their European ambitions with a 1-0 win over Tottenham, whose miserable season took a turn for the worse.

Anthony Elanga's first-half goal was enough for Forest to consolidate their position in the top four as the mist gathered at City Ground and the outlook keeps getting gloomier for under-pressure Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou.

The embattled Australian watched his side lose for a fifth time in eight Premier League games and the pressure is growing as they languish in the bottom half of the table after a first Boxing Day defeat since 2003.

While Spurs, who had Djed Spence sent off at the death, ponder a season of mediocrity, Forest are daring to dream after posting a fourth successive Premier League win for the first time since 1995.

They have already surpassed their points total from last season and are looking like genuine contenders for European qualification, which outlines the impressive job Nuno Espirito Santo has done at the City Ground.

Given Postecoglou's stubborn refusal to alter from his attacking approach, it was no surprise that chances at both ends came quickly.

Son Heung-min shot straight at Matz Sels after Murillo had given the ball away and then Callum Hudson-Odoi fired over with a trademark effort cutting in from the right soon after.

Brennan Johnson could have scored on his return to the City Ground after being played in by returning Spurs midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, but Sels did well.

Just as it looked like Spurs were taking control, Forest went in front in the 29th minute after a quick break.

Morgan Gibbs-White galloped into space and played in Elanga, who beat the offside trap and coolly clipped home for his third goal in three games.

The visitors' response was good and Forest needed another big save from Sels to keep their lead intact, again denying Johnson with a flying stop.

They had a chance to double their lead early in the second half when Fraser Forster flapped at a cross and it fell kindly to Gibbs-White, but the goalkeeper recovered well to block the shot.

Spurs kept on creating chances as Johnson cleverly made space for himself, but Sels again came to the rescue with a brave block.

Forest needed a second goal to give themselves some breathing space and Nikola Milenkovic headed over before Ola Aina failed to make proper contact when the ball fell kindly to him on the penalty area.

Spurs pushed for an equaliser, but Forest put in a defensive performance Spurs could only dream of as central pairing Murillo and Milenkovic won all of their headers and made all of their tackles.

Davies, who pulled up in the defeat at Bournemouth on December 5, returned to training this week but is now facing another "couple of weeks" on the sidelines following a recurrence of his hamstring injury.

“In the context of where we're at at the moment, I think it is an important [window],” Postecoglou said. “Our league position is not great but it’s super tight and we’re not that far off.

“There's still everything to play for this year for us to make it a season where we can have success. But we need some help, the players need some help more importantly, and the club is working really hard to try make that happen.

“It will depend where we’re at when the window opens and we're getting close to that now, so we've got a clearer picture of where we're at.

“I still think we have to be disciplined, it's not just about just bringing anybody in. There's certainly a need to reinforce if we can. Everyone knows January's not an easy time to do that. But the club's working hard behind the scenes to see what we can do to help players we've got at the moment who are giving everything in every game and dipping into every bit of energy they have to try to get us through.”

“At least two or three who are fairly long term injuries so you know you're going to be short there. Others are coming back from significant injuries and you don’t know how long they’ll take to get up to speed. We need some reinforcements and the club is working hard to make that happen and we'll see where we get to.”

“It is what it is. It’s not what motivates or drives me. My motivation for what I do is try to create teams who win things and have success and make an impact.

“It doesn’t add any pressure or I don’t feel any extra anxiety about anything. I firmly believe we will get through this and come out stronger and create the team we want to be.

“They made those feelings and emotions seen. I haven't felt anything but support since I have been here and I still feel that support is there.

“The task is difficult at the moment because of our situation but like most things that are fairly difficult to traverse, it's only temporary and we'll get through it and come out stronger.”

Spurs defensive crisis has deepened and Ange Postecoglou could be without a single senior centre-back

Dan Kilpatrick @ Dan_KP1 minute ago

Tottenham's defensive injury crisis has deepened after Radu Dragusin was forced off with an ankle complaint in the Boxing Day defeat at Nottingham Forest and Ben Davies suffered a setback in training, delaying his return from a hamstring injury.

Dragusin was due to be assessed on Friday but Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that Davies faces a “couple of weeks” on the sidelines, potentially leaving the Spurs head coach without a single senior centre-half for Sunday's visit of Wolves.

Archie Gray, 18, will continue to deputise in the heart of defence and could be partnered by Rodrigo Bentancur or fellow teenager Alfie Dorrington, who recently made his Spurs debut in the 5-0 win over Southampton.

Djed Spence is suspended after being sent off at the City Ground, so Pedro Porro will return at right-back, while Yves Bissouma, James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall could freshen up the midfield after being rested against Forest.

Spurs captain Heung-min Son could be given a much-needed rest, with Kulusevski switching to the front three and Brennan Johnson moving to the left wing.

Micky van de Ven (hamstring), Cristian Romero (quad), Guglielmo Vicario (foot), Wilson Odobert, Richarlison (both hamstring) and Mikey Moore (illness) remain sidelined.

Spurs predicted XI (4-3-3): Forster; Porro, Gray, Bentancur, Udogie; Bissouma, Bergvall, Maddison; Kulusevski, Solanke, Johnson

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Ange Postecoglou has confirmed Ben Davies has suffered had a setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury, as the defensive crisis at Tottenham deepens.

Davies returned to training last week and Postecoglou hoped he would be able to return against Wolves on December 29.

Spurs are also waiting to learn the full extent of the ankle injury suffered by Radu Dragusin in their 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day.

Postecoglou is already without Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, and if Dragusin is not fit to face Wolves then he will need to find someone to partner Archie Gray in central defence.

Speaking on Friday, Postecoglou said: “He [Davies] is ruled out. Unfortunately he had a setback in training so he's out for another couple of weeks. He's gone.”

“It’s the same injury. He tried to come back in training but it didn't work out.”

On Dragusin, Postecoglou said: “Bit early to tell, he obviously tweaked ankle and felt like couldn't continue, we'll just have to wait and see. Wait until he gets in today and then assess it from there.”

Dragusin was forced off late on against Forest and Yves Bissouma replaced him and partnered Gray for the final few minutes at the City Ground.

Asked whether Bissouma could start at centre-back against Wolves, Postecoglou said: “Yves has never played there so I'm not sure why I would put him there. We'll see.”

Youngster Alfie Dorrington is an option for Postecoglou. The 19-year-old made his Spurs debut as a substitute in the 5-0 win at Southampton this month.

Asked about his options at the back, Postecoglou said: “Not many. We’re in a tough spot and have been for a while, we've been getting through it for quite a while now and keeping fingers crossed that we don't get more issues.

“But the nature of football and fixture scheduling we’ve had means we've always been on a fine line of being able to get through.

Postecoglou wants reinforcements with Spurs squad stretched to the limit