Same old issues resurface for Thomas Frank’s side on return to west London
Tottenham will not have Lucas Bergvall available as they kick off 2026 against Brentford in the Premier League tonight.
Bergvall came off just past the hour mark during Spurs’ 1-0 win over Crystal Palace last weekend with a muscular injury, but head coach Thomas Frank had been confident he will be ready for their trip to the Gtech Community Stadium.
"Lucas is okay. I'm quite positive he will be available,” the Dane said at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
“Of course, there's a small doubt, but it's quite possible that he will be available.”
Despite that confidence, the Swede will miss the match and Joao Palhinha comes back into the team against Brentford.
The Portuguese midfielder impressed off the bench as the north Londoners held on for a precious victory away at Palace.
Brennan Johnson is expected to leave Spurs after the club agreed a £35million deal with Palace on Tuesday, and unsurprisingly, he is not named in the squad.
Frank also confirmed that Spurs captain Cristian Romero, who missed the win over Palace, would be available again after his dismissal against Liverpool.
Romero, who will likely take the place of Kevin Danso, is the subject of an FA charge and could potentially face a further suspension after allegedly “failing to promptly leave the field of play and/or behaving in a confrontational and/or aggressive manner towards the match referee after being sent off”.
Frank, though, said he believed a decision on Romero’s charge would not be taken until early January.
"He's ready for the game (against Brentford),” said Frank on Tuesday. “As far as I know, it's something that will be decided in early January.”
Kota Takai and Radu Dragusin were both named in a matchday squad for the first time this season at Selhurst Park last weekend, but Takai has not made the side for the trip to west London.
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Tottenham should have Lucas Bergvall fit to play as they kick off 2026 against Brentford in the Premier League tonight.
Bergvall came off just past the hour mark during Spurs’ 1-0 win over Crystal Palace last weekend with a muscular injury, but head coach Thomas Frank is confident he will be ready for their trip to the Gtech Community Stadium.
"Lucas is okay. I'm quite positive he will be available,” the Dane said at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
“Of course, there's a small doubt, but it's quite possible that he will be available.”
With Bergvall to be assessed in the lead-up to the game, Joao Palhinha could come back into the Tottenham team against Brentford.
The Portuguese midfielder impressed off the bench as the north Londoners held on for a precious victory away at Palace.
Brennan Johnson is expected to leave Spurs after the club agreed a £35million deal with Palace on Tuesday.
However, despite the 24-year-old’s Tottenham future being cast into doubt, Frank remained adamant that he would be available for selection against Brentford.
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“He contributed to a very good and important win against Crystal Palace. He trained very well today. I expect him fully to be available and able to play against Brentford.”
Frank also confirmed that Spurs captain Cristian Romero, who missed the win over Palace, would be available again after his dismissal against Liverpool.
Romero, who will likely take the place of Kevin Danso, is the subject of an FA charge and could potentially face a further suspension after allegedly “failing to promptly leave the field of play and/or behaving in a confrontational and/or aggressive manner towards the match referee after being sent off”.
Frank, though, said he believed a decision on Romero’s charge would not be taken until early January.
"He's ready for the game (against Brentford),” said Frank on Tuesday. “As far as I know, it's something that will be decided in early January.”
Xavi Simons was also sent off against Liverpool and will serve the second match of his three-game suspension as Frank travels to take on his former club.
Long-term absentees James Maddison, Dominic Solanke - who was back in team training this week - and Dejan Kulusevski remain out, but Frank was able to offer a positive update on Destiny Udogie, who has been sidelined since early December with a hamstring injury.
"He is running out there on the pitch, doing individual sessions on the pitch, so progressing going forward, that's good," Frank said of the left-back.
Kota Takai and Radu Dragusin were both named in a matchday squad for the first time this season at Selhurst Park last weekend.
The pair provide a welcome boost for Frank as Spurs prepare to play four times in the next nine days. Midfielders Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma are both away at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Predicted Tottenham XI (4-3-3): Vicario; Spence, Romero, Van de Ven, Porro; Bentancur, Gray, Palhinha; Kolo Muani, Richarlison, Kudus
Injured: Solanke, Maddison, Udogie, Kulusevski
Doubt: Bergvall
Unavailable: Bissouma, Sarr (AFCON)
Suspended: Simons
Time and date: 8pm GMT on Thursday January 1, 2026
Venue: Gtech Community Stadium, London
How to watch: Sky Sports
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Spurs dealt fresh injury concern after hard-fought win over Crystal Palace as Thomas Frank seeks positive start to 2026
Tottenham injury latest: Lucas Bergvall, Dominic Solanke and Destiny Udogie
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Tottenham will hope to begin 2026 on a positive note when they face Brentford on New Year’s day.
Spurs ended a turbulent 2025 with a hard fought win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park as Archie Gray scored his first career goal to ease the pressure on head coach Thomas Frank.
That win has revived Spurs’ hopes of a top four finish, though another difficult test awaits on Thursday as Frank returns to the Gtech Community Stadium for the first time since leaving for north London in the summer.
The Dane will be boosted by Cristian Romero’s availabilty after the Tottenham captain served his one-game suspension against Palace, but a fresh injury concern has emerged ahead of another London derby.
With that in mind, here is the latest Tottenham injury news and return dates…
Lucas Bergvall
Lucas Bergvall was replaced by Rodrigo Bentancur just after the hour mark at Selhurst Park with what looked like a groin injury.
This fresh injury scare has placed the midfielder’s involvement against Brentford in doubt with Frank revealing afterwards the that Swede will be assessed.
Frank said: “Yes, I hope so (that he is okay). Of course, we will assess him tomorrow.”
Potential return date: January 1 vs Brentford (A)
Concern: Lucas Bergvall
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Dominic Solanke
Dominic Solanke "progressing forward" is the latest positive update regarding the Tottenham striker.
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Solanke has been out of action since the end of August with an ankle issue and belatedly underwent surgery in October.
Amid concerns about his rehabilitation, Solanke recently posted an image of himself in a Spurs shirt on Instagram, captioned with hourglasses, suggesting a return could come sooner rather than later.
While a return did not transpire against Nottingham Forest, Liverpool or Crystal Palace, Frank did recently reveal that he is excited about having Solanke available for selection in the near future.
"I'm looking forward to naming [Solanke] in the squad," Frank said. "He is progressing forward."
Potential return date: January 2026
Destiny Udogie
Destiny Udogie has been ruled out until January with a hamstring injury, which leaves very little room for Frank to rotate his full-backs during the festive period.
Frank confirmed that Udogie had suffered a soft tissue injury, after the left-back was missing for the win over Brentford.
Asked at the time how long Udogie will be out for, Frank said: “Not too long. He got a soft tissue injury, unfortunately, against Newcastle.”
But a new update came a few days later, with a longer timeline: “Destiny picked up a hamstring injury in the end of the Newcastle game, so he’s out until January, unfortunately.”
Potential return date: January 2026
Dejan Kulusevski
Another player with a shot at a comeback early in the new year is Dejan Kulusevski.
Kulusevski has been out since the end of last season with a patella injury but he was back on grass during last month’s international break.
Frank has said previously there was a “good chance” that the playmaker could return in 2025 but that did not happen so all eyes are on when the Swede is able to feature again in the new year.
Potential return date: January 2026
Kota Takai
Kota Takai is yet to feature for Tottenham since his arrival from Kawasaki Frontale in the summer.
However, he was on the bench for the very first time against Crystal Palace, providing extra defensive cover with Romero suspended and Udogie out injured.
It remains to be seen if the defender will be part of the squad against Brentford, but a first team debut surely is not too far away.
Potential return date: January 1 vs Brentford (A)
James Maddison
James Maddison is expected to miss most of the season since undergoing surgery on a torn ACL sustained in a pre-season friendly with Newcastle.
Appearing recently on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football show, the midfielder offered an update.
“I'm doing really well for the stage that I'm at, it’s obviously a long injury I have got, I had a big knee surgery,” he said.
Injury update: James Maddison
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“More than anything right now it’s just about staying in the right mindset.
“I’ve had to accept and get over the fact that I’m going to be out for a long time.
Potential return date: Summer 2026
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