Spurs head to Old Trafford for the late Saturday kick-off desperately seeking their first win of the season to lift them off the foot of the table.
asserted
Spurs → head → table
It has been a horrendous start to the campaign for Tottenham, who have only two points to their name so far and took five matches to score even their first goals in the top-flight this term - in a losing effort at home to Aston Villa before the extended international break.
asserted
who → have → break
That is despite Roberto De Zerbi’s squad being boosted for his first full season in charge by an influx of new signings worth over £300million during the summer transfer window.
asserted
squad → boost → window
Spurs fans will hope that a trip to face a below-par Man Utd side who have also struggled out of the gate this season under Michael Carrick yields a much-needed three points.
asserted
who → hope → points
The influential centre-back accidentally had his hand stepped on by Serbia striker Luka Jovic and could not continue in the match, leaving the Dutch with 10 men as they had already used all of their substitutions.
uncertain
they → have → substitutions
Fortunately for Spurs, Netherlands head coach Xavi delivered a positive update on Van de Ven - who had two of the fingers on his left hand strapped up - after the Nations League game, which his side won 2-1 despite their late numerical disadvantage.
asserted
side → deliver → disadvantage
“He’s ok, he felt dizzy because he suffered with his finger.
asserted
he → ’ → finger
It’s not a big injury,” Xavi said.
asserted
Xavi → ’ → ?
Potential return date: Saturday October 10, vs Manchester United (A)
Jan Paul van Hecke
Van de Ven’s club and international team-mate Van Hecke had already withdrawn from the Netherlands squad before that home clash with Serbia due to an injury sustained in the first meeting between the two nations a week before.
asserted
club → withdraw → nations
He had his foot stepped on during an initial 2-1 win for the Oranje in Belgrade, finishing the full 90 minutes but exiting a training session early later in the week.
asserted
foot → have → week
Van Hecke’s involvement ended after only seven minutes and he withdrew from the Netherlands squad for their final two games, with Xavi’s worrying update saying the defender was in a “lot of pain” and “couldn’t touch the ball”.
asserted
defender → end → ball
He returned to Tottenham for assessment and treatment, and will be a major doubt for the trip to Manchester United as Marcos Senesi or Tosin Adarabioyo potentially step in alongside Van de Ven, if the skipper is fit.
asserted
skipper → return → Ven
Potential return date: Unknown, pending further assessment
Pedro Porro
First-choice right-back Pedro Porro withdrew from the Spain squad at the start of the international window with a hamstring injury that forced him off only after 19 minutes in the 3-2 defeat by Aston Villa.
asserted
that → pende → Villa
The new setback was expected to rule him out for around four weeks, a timeframe which, if accurate, would put him on track to return either against Coventry on October 19 or in the London derby showdown with rivals Chelsea five days later at Stamford Bridge.
asserted
which → expect → Bridge
It has been a frustrating start to the season for Porro, who began the campaign on the bench following his holiday in the aftermath of Spain’s World Cup win and also missed two other matches with another unspecified muscle problem.
asserted
who → begin → problem
Potential return date: Saturday October 24, vs Chelsea (A)
Dejan Kulusevski
After experiencing another setback following his recent return to first-team training, the Swedish international is now back at Hotspur Way and has been stepping up his efforts once again during the international break.
asserted
international → experience → break
Significantly, Standard Sport understands that Kulusevski last week featured in his first game for 17 months and more than 500 days - playing in training on a team comprised of senior players against opponents made up of Tottenham’s Under-21s and U18s stars not on international duty.
asserted
Kulusevski → understand → duty
It is unclear for long he played or indeed how much he impacted the game, but it is nevertheless a big step on Kulusevski’s long and difficult road to a return to competitive football, which could happen in the weeks ahead.
uncertain
which → play → weeks
However, Tottenham will understandably continue to be extra cautious in terms of managing his comeback.
asserted
Tottenham → continue → comeback
Potential return date: October or November
Mykhailo Mudryk
A surprise Deadline Day loan signing from Chelsea, Mykhailo Mudryk settled his anti-doping disciplinary proceedings with the Football Association (FA) over the summer and made his first competitive appearance since November 2024 off the bench as Spurs drew 0-0 with Nottingham Forest last month.
asserted
Spurs → settle → Forest
However, that was followed by an ankle injury picked up in training - one lamented as “stupid” by De Zerbi - that was expected to keep him out for around six to eight weeks.
asserted
that → follow → weeks
That could mean his return comes a week later, against Crystal Palace at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
uncertain
return → mean → Stadium
Potential return date: Saturday, October 31 vs Crystal Palace (H)
Xavi Simons
Xavi Simons has been out of action since rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a crucial win at Wolves in April.
asserted
Simons → rupture → April
He was ruled out for the remainder of last season and the World Cup, while he has yet to feature this term.
Simons has recently been working on his rehabilitation in the United States and is likely to return to contention in early 2027, having been ruled out for approximately nine to 10 months.
asserted
Simons → rule → months
Potential return date: Early 2027
Wilson Odobert
Wilson Odobert ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the home defeat by Newcastle in February.
asserted
Odobert → rupture → February
A ninth-month recovery time would have him on course to play again in late November, but there have been recent reports that suggest he could be pushing to feature before then.
uncertain
he → have → November
The Aporia
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