Sports Mole

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly made signing a centre-back their number one priority in the January transfer window.

The Lilywhites suffered yet another blow over the fitness of Micky van de Ven in Wednesday's 2-1 EFL Cup last-16 win over Manchester City, as the Dutchman came off in the first half with an apparent hamstring concern.

Van de Ven spent almost two months on the sidelines with a similar problem during the 2023-24 campaign, and Postecoglou is short of genuine alternatives to the 23-year-old at the back.

Radu Dragusin is the first port of call, but the Romanian has also been linked with an exit from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in January, having struggled for game time over Van de Ven and Cristian Romero.

Ben Davies and Archie Gray can both fill in at centre-back, although the pair are full-backs by trade, and Football Insider reports that Postecoglou is keen to strengthen his central defensive ranks when the winter window opens for business.

Ex-Tottenham scout 'worried' about Spurs' defensive stability

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Mick Brown - a former Tottenham scout - told the publication that he has 'heard' that Spurs are hoping to add to their centre-back contingent in January, as there are concerns about their defensive depth if Van de Ven and/or Romero spend time on the sidelines.

"They've got a settled pairing in Romero and Van de Ven, but behind them, they're short of real quality options and strength in depth," Brown told the publication. "From what I'm hearing, they want to bring in someone who can fill in if those two miss out.

"Tottenham worry me defensively. They fall down at the fundamentals, they're just not good enough at the back. That's even with their first-choice team on the pitch.

"Their strength in depth is an issue too because it makes rotation difficult. All the best teams have defensive units that you know you can rely upon every week. Look at Arsenal, for example, the big reason they've been able to challenge for the title is because of their defenders.

"Gabriel and [William] Saliba are so solid at the back, and everybody does their bit. Man City as well, everybody talks about their attacking talent and rightly so, but their defence is outstanding with the likes of [Ruben] Dias, [Manuel] Akanji and [Josko] Gvardiol."

What centre-backs could Tottenham target in January?

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The January transfer window is a notoriously difficult one for buying clubs, but Spurs' lack of defensive depth is inarguable, and a lengthy layoff for Van de Ven would leave Ange Postecoglou down to the bare bones at the back.

The rumour mill has not been whirring for Tottenham regarding a January move for a centre-back just yet - expect that to change after Van de Ven's injury - but HITC claims that Red Bull Salzburg's Samson Baidoo is admired by the North London giants.

The 20-year-old stands at 6ft 3in tall and is an Austria Under-21 international, but he is also believed to be admired by Newcastle United and Manchester City and has a contract with Salzburg until 2027.

It remains to be seen how long Van de Ven is missing for, but for the time being, Dragusin can surely look forward to an extended partnership with Romero, starting with Sunday's Premier League clash against Aston Villa.

With an EFL Cup spring in their step, Tottenham Hotspur return to Premier League action on Sunday, welcoming Aston Villa to their North London home.

Ange Postecoglou's side produced the upset of the last 16 in the EFL Cup on Wednesday, besting Manchester City 2-1 to set up a quarter-final showdown with their bitter rivals Manchester United.

That shock success versus Pep Guardiola's side was the perfect response to a chastening 1-0 defeat at Crystal Palace last weekend, a result that left Spurs in a mediocre eighth place in the Premier League table.

Here, Sports Mole wraps up the latest injury and suspension news for Spurs ahead of the visit of Villa, who were eliminated from the EFL Cup with a 2-1 home loss to Crystal Palace in midweek.

Micky van de Ven

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Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: Unknown

Micky van de Ven was inconsolable as he came off with another hamstring injury in the win over Man City, as he memorably spent weeks out with a similar issue last season. The severity of his issue has not yet been determined, but he will definitely miss out here.

Son Heung-min

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Status: Major doubt

Type of injury: Thigh

Possible return date: November 3 (vs. Aston Villa)

Son Heung-min was not risked for the visit of Man City due to his own thigh complaint, but Postecoglou is crossing his fingers that his captain will be fit and firing this weekend.

Djed Spence

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Status: Major doubt

Type of injury: Groin

Possible return date: November 3 (vs. Aston Villa)

Similarly, Djed Spence could be back in Spurs training this week as he steps up his recovery from a groin strain, and he will push to make the matchday squad on Saturday.

Wilson Odobert

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Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: Unknown

Wilson Odobert had just recovered from one hamstring problem before being struck by a "serious" setback in the same area, and the ex-Burnley man is set for another spell on the sidelines.

TOTTENHAM'S SUSPENSION LIST

Tottenham have no players suspended for this match.

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Timo Werner and Pape Sarr came up with exquisite first-half finishes as Tottenham Hotspur upset Manchester City 2-1 to reach the EFL Cup quarter-finals in North London.

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou affirmed a few weeks ago that he "always" wins trophies in his second year in a job, and the Australian has taken a giant step towards ending Tottenham's 16-year drought, as Matheus Nunes's half-volley could not inspire a Citizens turnaround.

While Tottenham's smash-and-grab win over Coventry City in the third round was very much on the unconvincing side, Postecoglou's charges immediately took the game by the scruff of the neck against a lackadaisical Citizens side.

A sublime passing move out from the back allowed the hitherto profligate Werner to score his first goal of the season, and the hosts did not rest on their laurels after their surprise opener.

Spurs were aided by Man City being completely off the boil, and one became two in wonderful fashion as Sarr curled home a 30-yard stunner following a short corner routine, but that sweet strike finally seemed to wake the visitors up.

Tottenham's mission to get to half time with a two-goal lead ended in failure, as the increasingly influential Nunes pulled one back with a half-volley into the ground, no doubt changing the half-time team talks from both managers.

Spurs would also have to cope without Micky van de Ven for the second 45 - the Dutchman was in tears as he was forced off in the opening period - and as expected, the second 45 was one-way traffic.

The best chance of the second 45 fell to City youngster Nico O'Reilly, but Yves Bissouma produced an astonishing block to deny him, while Richarlison wasted a golden chance to make it three for the hosts after Josko Gvardiol's throw-in error.

However, Spurs showed serious steel to keep Guardiola's men at bay for the entirety of the second half, ensuring that there would be no 2024-25 quadruple for the Premier League champions.

TOTTENHAM VS. MAN CITY HIGHLIGHTS

Timo Werner goal vs. Man City (5th min, Tottenham 1-0 Man City)

What a move, what a finish!

Tottenham play it out from the back with unbridled confidence, as an exquisite backheel flick from Brennan Johnson sets Dejan Kulusevski away down the right-hand side.

The Swede picks out Werner on the opposite side, and the RB Leipzig loanee has all the time in the world to open up his body and curl a stunning first-time finish past Stefan Ortega. Is the redemption arc being written?

Pape Sarr goal vs. Man City (25th min, Tottenham 2-0 Man City)

In the script? Absolutely not! Spurs double their lead with an even better goal than Werner's quickfire opener.

This time, the German is involved in a short corner routine with Dejan Kulusevski, who tees up Sarr on the edge of the box, and the 22-year-old picks out the bottom corner with a perfectly-placed curling shot.

Could Stefan Ortega have done better at his near post? Maybe, but Sarr may never strike a cleaner ball for the rest of his career.

Matheus Nunes goal vs. Tottenham (45+3 min, Tottenham 2-1 Man City)

It had been coming.

Man City had been pushing to cut the deficit in half before the break and get their reward deep into added time, as Nunes's volley into the ground from Savinho's cross finds its way in.

MAN OF THE MATCH - DEJAN KULUSEVSKI

The creator of both of Spurs' goals on the evening, Kulusevski only had 30 touches of the ball at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but a couple of his touches turned to gold.

The Scandinavian's pass to Werner could not have been any more perfectly-weighted, and he had the awareness to tee up Sarr for the pivotal strike, ending the night with four key passes in total.

TOTTENHAM VS. MAN CITY MATCH STATS

Possession: Tottenham 32%-68% Man City

Shots: Tottenham 11-15 Man City

Shots on target: Tottenham 7-3 Man City

Corners: Tottenham 4-4 Man City

Fouls: Tottenham 17-6 Man City

BEST STATS

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Brighton vs. Liverpool (Wednesday, 7.30pm)

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Kicking off a double-header of head-to-heads, Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool clash in the fourth round of the EFL Cup at the Amex on Wednesday evening, a few days before also crossing paths in the Premier League.

The Reds got the defence of their crown off to a flying start with a 5-1 crushing of West Ham United in round three, while Fabian Hurzeler's team edged a five-goal thriller with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

We say: Brighton & Hove Albion 1-2 Liverpool

Slot highlighted the fact that Arsenal had an extra day to recover from their Champions League exploits before Sunday's draw, and the same will be true on Wednesday against a Brighton side who seldom have problems finding the net at home.

However, the Reds have become away-day specialists during Slot's short time at the helm and should remain on course for back-to-back EFL Cup trophy lifts, even if any victory on Wednesday is not as emphatic as the travelling faithful might wish for.

> Click here to read our full preview for this match

> Dunk concern and cup-tied striker: How Brighton could line up against Liverpool

> Will any injured players return? Liverpool predicted lineup against Brighton

> Could Chiesa or Jota return? Liverpool injury list for Brighton showdown

Newcastle vs. Chelsea (Wednesday, 7.45pm)

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Three days after their Stamford Bridge showdown, Newcastle United and Chelsea will lock horns at St James' Park as they fight for a place in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup.

The Magpies will be striving to build some momentum following a worrying start to the campaign, whilst the Blues are aiming to continue their excellent early-season form by the way of a fourth-round success in this competition.

We say: Newcastle United 1-2 Chelsea

With both teams set to make a raft of changes to their XIs, we are expecting a scrappy affair in which moments of magic will decide the winner.

As shown during the early stages of their Conference League campaign, Chelsea have an embarrassment of riches in attacking areas and should have enough quality to squeeze past the Magpies and into the quarter-finals.

> Click here to read our full preview for this match

> Illness issues? How Chelsea could line up against Newcastle

> Star attacker missing? Newcastle predicted lineup against Chelsea

> Trio to miss out? Chelsea injury, suspension list for Newcastle game

Man Utd vs. Leicester (Wednesday, 7.45pm)

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For the first time since the sacking of Erik ten Hag, Manchester United will take to the field as they welcome Leicester City to Old Trafford for an EFL Cup last-16 clash on Wednesday night.

The Red Devils are looking to build some momentum following a loss at West Ham United on Sunday, whilst the Foxes will be ready for much-needed respite from a relegation fight in the Premier League.

We say: Manchester United 2-0 Leicester City

Potentially looking to take the job on permanently, interim boss Van Nistelrooy will be desperate to impress his employers as Man United face Leicester on Wednesday.

Despite the quality of the opposition, the Foxes are set to make a raft of changes to their XI, meaning that we can only imagine a defeat for the visitors to Old Trafford.

> Click here to read our full preview for this match

> Wholesale changes? Predicted Leicester lineup against Man United

> Van Nistelrooy in control: How Man United could line up against Leicester

> Mazraoui latest: Man United injury & suspension news ahead of Leicester clash

Preston vs. Arsenal (Wednesday, 7.45pm)

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After both were involved in engrossing stalemates at the weekend, Preston North End and Arsenal now vie for a spot in the EFL Cup quarter-finals at Deepdale on Wednesday evening, a matchup between the only two clubs in English football to ever complete a top-flight Invincibles season.

The Gunners humiliated Bolton Wanderers 5-1 to progress to round four, while their Championship hosts came out on top against Fulham in one of the most epic penalty shootouts English football has ever seen.

We say: Preston North End 0-2 Arsenal

In the wake of Saturday's calamitous collapse, it would be no surprise to see Preston adopt an all-out defensive approach in the hope of stifling Arteta's side, which will no doubt have a second-string feel to it.

However, the young guns should breach the hosts' rearguard eventually, and we can only envisage Arsenal making it through to the last eight without breaking too much of a sweat.

> Click here to read our full preview for this match

> Former Gunner to start up front? How Preston could line up against Arsenal

> Another debutant for Arteta? How Arsenal could line up against Preston

> Two new concerns for Arteta: Arsenal injury list for Preston clash

Aston Villa vs. Crystal Palace (Wednesday, 7.45pm)

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One of five all-Premier League EFL Cup last-16 ties taking place on Wednesday evening, Aston Villa take on Crystal Palace with a place in the quarter-final draw up for grabs.

The Lions edged out Wycombe Wanderers to make it this far in the tournament, while Oliver Glasner's men have already eliminated Norwich City and Queens Park Rangers from this year's edition.

We say: Aston Villa 1-1 Crystal Palace (Villa win on penalties)

Palace boss Glasner went incredibly strong for the third-round win over QPR and can afford to do so again with no European football to take into account, which is more than can be said for the Villans.

The Eagles should also arrive in the West Midlands with a spring in their step from the weekend and can take their hosts to penalties, but with the home crowd behind them and top-class quality in reserve, Emery's men still have our backing to edge the shootout.

> Click here to read our full preview for this match

Spurs vs. Man City (Wednesday, 8.15pm)

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Aiming to end their 16-year trophy drought, Tottenham Hotspur will welcome English champions Manchester City to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for an EFL Cup last-16 clash on Wednesday night.

The Lilywhites will be looking to bounce back following a loss at Crystal Palace on Sunday, whilst the Citizens are striving to build on a narrow win over struggling Southampton a day earlier.

We say: Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 Manchester City

With Manchester City set to include a number of academy players in their squad, Tottenham will sense the opportunity to book their spot in the quarter-finals on Wednesday night.

That being said, a Guardiola side littered with first-team stars should still be more than a match for the Lilywhites, who we expect to exit the EFL Cup following a narrow defeat in North London.

> Click here to read our full preview for this match

> Sixteen-year-old to start? How Man City could line up against Tottenham

> Will Postecoglou go strong? Tottenham predicted lineup against Man City

> Son fitness latest: Tottenham injury & suspension list ahead of Man City clash

> De Bruyne, Walker latest: Man City injury, suspension list vs. Tottenham

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that Son Heung-min will not feature in their EFL Cup last 16 clash with Manchester City on Wednesday night.

Son was brought back sooner than expected for the 4-1 win over West Ham United just over a week ago, with the Spurs captain scoring and playing 70 minutes against the Hammers.

A hamstring injury had kept the South Korean superstar out of representing his country in October's international break, and Son had also missed the matches against Manchester United, Ferencvaros and Brighton & Hove Albion prior to that.

However, Postecoglou made the brave decision to start Son on the return of club football, despite the player requiring a very late fitness test.

Son out of important cup tie vs. Man City

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A recurrence of the injury occurred after the West Ham win though, with Son reportedly feeling soreness in his hamstring, meaning he was left out of the side that edged past AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League.

However, Son was also unable to feature in the defeat to Crystal Palace at the weekend, as Spurs lost for a second away league game in succession.

Ahead of the clash with Man City in the last 16 of the EFL Cup, manager Postecoglou has confirmed that Son will not be risked, but should be fine to play against Aston Villa at the weekend in what feels like a must-win encounter on home soil.

Speaking to the media in his pre-match press conference, Postecoglou revealed: "Sonny, no. Well he is almost fit but we will probably from our perspective aim him for the weekend. We're quite confident he will be right for the weekend."

This setback will see Son sit out a sixth game in seven for Spurs, and deny him the opportunity of facing one of his favoured opponents.

Who could deputise for the injured Son?

Despite the level of Man City, Son has always had a knack of netting against English football's dominant force.

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Son has scored eight times against City in a Spurs shirt, with three of those coming in cup competitions, all across the two legs of their thrilling Champions League quarter-final in 2019.

Replacing that threat will be difficult for Postecoglou, who also confirmed that Wilson Odobert will remain on the sidelines.

"The only one missing out, which is a bit of a disappointment, is Wilson (Odobert). He's had a setback during the week and it seems like it's a serious one, so we're waiting for more information." the Spurs boss announced.

Seventeen-year-old Mikey Moore was handed his first Premier League start in the place of Son at Selhurst Park on Sunday, and could be given a chance to impress again against the English champions.

Richarlison and Timo Werner represent the other options available to Postecoglou out wide, while Dejan Kulusevski could move further forward from midfield if Spurs go slightly more cautious.

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After three years of failure in this competition, Manchester City will continue their quest for EFL Cup glory at Tottenham Hotspur in the fourth round on Wednesday night.

The Citizens are looking for their first success in this tournament since the 2020-21 term, whilst the Lilywhites are fighting to end a 16-year trophy drought across all major competitions, and here Sports Mole rounds up the team news for both clubs.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR vs. MANCHESTER CITY

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Out: None

Doubtful: Son Heung-min (thigh), Djed Spence (groin)

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Forster; Gray, Dragusin, Davies, Udogie; Sarr, Bentancur, Maddison; Werner, Johnson, Richarlison

MANCHESTER CITY

Out: Jeremy Doku (discomfort), Kevin De Bruyne (groin), Kyle Walker (thigh), Oscar Bobb (leg), Rodri (knee), Jack Grealish (knock)

Doubtful: None

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Ortega; Lewis, Stones, Braithwaite, Ake; O'Reilly, Savio, McAtee, Gundogan, Nunes; Foden

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou should aim for EFL Cup glory this season and put the club's trophy "curse" to bed, Manchester City expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany has told Sports Mole.

Sixteen years have passed since Spurs supporters watched their side lift silverware, beating London rivals Chelsea 2-1 in the 2008 EFL Cup final at Wembley under former boss Juande Ramos.

Tottenham have since suffered defeat in four cup finals, three in the EFL Cup and one in the Champions League, while they also came up short in the 2016-17 Premier League title race as they finished second behind surprise champions Leicester City.

A number of high-profile names including Harry Redknapp, Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte all failed to win silverware in charge of Spurs, and Postecoglou is now the latest man tasked with ending the club's painful trophy drought.

If Spurs - who lost 1-0 at Crystal Palace in the Premier League last weekend - wish to progress deep into this season's EFL Cup, they must navigate their way past eight-time champions Man City when they lock horns in North London for a last-16 tie on Wednesday night.

McInerney: 'Spurs should aim to win EFL Cup'

McInerney has admitted that a much-changed Man City side could "crash out" of the EFL Cup in midweek and has explained why he is "not confident" ahead of their encounter with Spurs.

Having watched the Citizens enjoy plenty of success in the EFL Cup in recent years, with Pep Guardiola's side winning the competition five times between 2016 and 2021, McInerney believes that "success breeds success" and Spurs should push themselves to progress all the way in this season's competition, starting with a victory against 'one of the favourites' on Wednesday.

McInerney has also urged Postecoglou to not follow in the footsteps of former manager Pochettino, who 'prioritised' a top-four finish in the Premier League over winning a trophy during his time in North London.

Speaking to Sports Mole, McInerney said: "If I was Postecoglou, I would be aiming [to win the EFL Cup] because this is the kind of tournament Spurs could win given their attacking quality and the fact that they could knock out arguably the favourites, or one of them at very least. If I was him, I would go for it.

"I think success breeds success. I didn't really ever agree with Pochettino's priorities when he was at Spurs. I think he famously felt like top four was a trophy for them and he argued that it was sometimes more important.

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Should Spurs prioritise trophy over top-four finish?

"I think if I was managing Spurs, I would absolutely be aiming for a trophy. That has to be the priority. If I was a Spurs fan, I would take sixth and a trophy over fourth this season.

"I know they might not agree, but that silverware is just so much more important than Champions League. I know the money's there (in that competition), but they're not going to win the Champions League. Maybe I'm wrong there, but just aim for a trophy and aim to put that curse you've had for such a long time to bed."

McInerney added: "There's also something nice about winning a trophy at the end of February or start of March. Winning the Carabao Cup is a really nice springboard for the end of the season because you get a taste of success.

"You have your big day out, you celebrate success, and then you have two more months of the season left and you're playing knowing that you can win something. I think that's quite empowering. I feel like Spurs should go for it.

"I hope City beat them, obviously. I just feel like City's priorities are lying elsewhere this season, especially given the size of the squad."

Meanwhile, McInerney has suggested that Guardiola will rotate his side on Wednesday and should rest star players including top scorer Erling Haaland, who netted twice in a 2-0 Premier League with at Tottenham in May last season.

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Erling Haaland will be looking to continue his stellar goalscoring form at the beginning of the 2024-25 season as Manchester City visit Tottenham Hotspur in the EFL Cup on Wednesday night.

The striker is unlikely to start the match in North London, with Pep Guardiola hinting towards heavy rotation of his XI ahead of a hectic schedule before the November international break.

Finding the net for the 11th time in nine Premier League matches on Saturday afternoon, Haaland did the damage to Southampton at the Etihad, with his fifth-minute strike proving to be the decisive moment of the contest.

Ahead of Haaland's potential trip to North London on Wednesday, Sports Mole takes a look at the Norwegian's overall record versus Tottenham.

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Erling Haaland's record vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Played: 4

Won: 2

Drawn: 1

Lost: 1

Goals: 3

Assists: 1

Since joining Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2022, Haaland has faced Tottenham on four occasions, all of which have occurred in the Premier League.

The striker's debut against Spurs also saw his maiden goal in the fixture in January 2023, when he headed home from close range past Hugo Lloris to equalise for the Citizens, who went on to win the Etihad contest 4-2.

Haaland's only defeat against the North Londoners arrived later in the 2022-23 term, with Pep Guardiola's side firing a blank and losing 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Norwegian failed to find the net in back-to-back games versus Spurs but did provide an assist during the 3-3 thriller at the Etihad in the Premier League last season.

Haaland was the star of the show in the most recent meeting between Man City and Tottenham, with the towering forward bagging a brace in North London, putting one hand on a fourth straight English title for the Citizens in May 2024.

Looking to book their spot in the quarter-finals, Tottenham Hotspur will welcome Manchester City to North London for a fourth-round clash in the EFL Cup.

The Lilywhites are aiming to bounce back quickly from a disappointing afternoon at Selhurst Park on Sunday afternoon, when Crystal Palace recorded their maiden win of the Premier League term at the expense of the visitors.

Winning four of their opening nine top-flight fixtures, Ange Postecoglou's side are occupying eighth place in the Premier League standings, five points behind Aston Villa in the lowest of the Champions League spots.

Tottenham will be striving for a morale-boosting win over Man City, and here Sports Mole wraps up the latest injury and suspension news for Spurs ahead of Wednesday's EFL Cup showdown.

Son Heung-min

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Status: Major doubt

Type of injury: Thigh

Possible return date: November 3 (vs. Aston Villa)

Son has missed the last two matches of Tottenham versus AZ Alkmaar and Crystal Palace due to a thigh injury, meaning that it is highly unlikely that the South Korean will be risked on Wednesday night in the EFL Cup.

Djed Spence

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Status: Major doubt

Type of injury: Groin

Possible return date: November 3 (vs. Aston Villa)

A last-minute scorer during the comeback success over Coventry City during the third round in September, Spence is set to miss the visit of Manchester City, although the right-back is scheduled for a return to training this week.

TOTTENHAM'S SUSPENSION LIST

Tottenham have no players suspended for Wednesday's match.

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Manchester City are set to hand a first-team start to 16-year-old defender Kaden Braithwaite on Wednesday night when they face Tottenham Hotspur in the fourth round of the EFL Cup.

With four away matches to come over the next 11 days for the Citizens, Pep Guardiola is expected to heavily rotate his side from the one which narrowly beat Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

Stefan Ortega will take the spot in between the sticks as Ederson drops to the bench, whilst defenders such as Nathan Ake and John Stones could provide a sprinkling of first-team steel to the back four.

With Rodri sidelined for the remainder of the season with a cruciate ligament injury, the Citizens are exploring new options in the engine room, with 19-year-old Nico O'Reilly preparing to start at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Guardiola has stated that he is not willing to take any risks in terms of team selection for this EFL Cup clash, meaning that Erling Haaland, Manuel Akanji and Ruben Dias might not even feature in the matchday squad.

Both starting the third-round success over Watford last month, Jack Grealish (knock) and Jeremy Doku (discomfort) are occupying beds in the Man City medical room.

The Citizens have failed to provide specific return dates for Kyle Walker and Kevin De Bruyne, who are fighting back from thigh and groin issues respectively.

Manchester City possible starting lineup: Ortega; Lewis, Stones, Braithwaite; Ake, O'Reilly, Savio, McAtee, Gundogan, Nunes; Foden

> Click here to see how Tottenham could line up for this fixture

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