Tottenham Faces Key Injuries Against Liverpool in Carabao Cup Clash
Tottenham head to Anfield tonight chasing a place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup and a much-needed shot of belief. They will do it without Sandro Tonali and Pedro Porro, and with Richarlison still cast firmly aside.
Spurs have not won at Liverpool’s home in 15 years. They arrive on Merseyside on the back of two goalless stalemates, against Nottingham Forest and Everton, and with a squad already stretched by a disrupted pre-season now pushed even thinner.
Double setback for De Zerbi
Roberto De Zerbi confirmed Tonali has suffered a minor knock picked up after the Everton draw, ruling the Italy international out of the tie. Porro, meanwhile, continues to battle the muscular problem that kept him out at the weekend.
Those absences strip more quality from a side already juggling fitness issues across the pitch. The one sliver of good news: Destiny Udogie is back. The full-back was left out against Everton as a precaution, but De Zerbi has cleared him to return at Anfield.
“Sandro Tonali will play no part for Tottenham at Anfield,” was the blunt reality from the Spurs camp, with the midfield reshuffle now unavoidable.
Richarlison frozen out
On Richarlison, nothing has changed. The Brazilian is eligible for the Carabao Cup but will not travel. His summer was dominated by attempts to leave Spurs, followed by exclusion from the Premier League squad when no move materialised.
Club and player tried to engineer an exit in the final days of the window. No deal came. Now the former Everton forward finds himself stuck in limbo, available on paper but out in the cold in practice.
De Zerbi made it clear the stand remains firm. Richarlison stays at home, just as long-term absentee Dejan Kulusevski does, with the Swede still not ready for action.
“No, Kulusevski not available. Pedro is still not available. Udogie yes. Richarlison, you already know everything, nothing changed for the Carabao Cup or Premier League. The situation is the same,” De Zerbi said on Monday.
Rotation, kids and tired legs
Spurs are expected to rotate at Anfield, but De Zerbi is walking a tightrope. Go too strong and he risks burning out key players who are already short of sharpness. Go too weak and a Liverpool side at home, under the lights, could run riot.
One name on the manager’s mind is academy winger Luca Williams-Barnett. The teenager is pushing for involvement, and De Zerbi hinted that this might be the night he gets a taste of senior football.
“I don't know, Luca. We have to see because many players need to play. Maybe not 90 minutes, 90 minutes, but 30 minutes a real game is important. Yes, there is not Sandro Tonali. I forgot to say because he felt a knock.”
That last line underlined the scale of the juggling act. De Zerbi is trying to share minutes around while nursing several of his midfield and attacking options back to full speed. He admitted Mateus Fernandes, Conor Gallagher and Mohammed Kudus are all still short of peak match fitness.
Predicted XI and the Anfield test
Even with the injuries, Spurs are likely to field a side with enough quality to cause problems if they can hold their nerve.
Tottenham predicted XI:
- Dubravka;
- Gray, Tosin, Senesi, Udogie;
- Bentancur, Bergvall, Gallagher;
- Kudus, Solanke, Marmoush
Injured: Simons, Odobert, Kulusevski, Tonali, Porro, Mudryk
Unavailable: Richarlison
Kick-off is at 8pm BST on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at Anfield. The match will be shown on Sky Sports and ITV4.
Spurs need more than just a result. They need a statement that this season will not drift. Anfield, under pressure and under strength, is a brutal place to go looking for one.
