Tottenham Hotspur could receive a welcome lift ahead of their upcoming Premier League relegation showdown against Nottingham Forest next week.
For the first time in a while, Tottenham are looking at their list of absentees with some measure of positivity, with at least five players poised to return to the fold to face Forest.
Tottenham have been dealing with the worst injury crisis in the Premier League this season.
They went into Sunday’s nail-biting encounter against Liverpool with as many as 13 first-team players unavailable due to injuries and suspension.
Their injury crisis has made life extremely difficult for the Europa League holders, who are hovering dangerously above the relegation zone.
Despite their ongoing injury woes, Tottenham managed to snatch a point against Liverpool as a last-minute goal from Richarlison cancelled out Dominik Szoboszlai’s early free kick.
That performance received plenty of praise, with Igor Tudor’s side finally showing signs of life and proving their determination to survive the ongoing Premier League relegation battle.
The result earned Spurs a crucial point, but it’s still anyone’s guess which team will join Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley in the Championship next season.
Tottenham currently sit in 16th place, just one point above Nottingham Forest and West Ham United and two behind Leeds United, who are also in the relegation battle.
That makes the upcoming clash with Forest a cup final, and Tottenham could be handed a massive boost ahead of the must-win contest.
Five players to return from the sidelines
Victory against Forest next weekend at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium would give Spurs some breathing space and create a much-needed distance between themselves and the bottom three.
However, the fixture is a double-edged sword, considering another defeat could plunge them into the bottom three if West Ham also get a positive result against Aston Villa.
But the encouraging news for Spurs fans is that help may be on the way.
Tottenham could welcome Cristian Romero and Joao Palhinha back from concussion lay-offs, while Conor Gallagher should also return from illness.
Micky van de Ven is also expected to be available after serving his suspension for the red card he picked up in the 3-1 defeat against Crystal Palace.
If he returns and Romero is fit to start, Tottenham could have their preferred centre-back partnership available for the first time since the 2-0 defeat against Manchester United under Thomas Frank.
Destiny Udogie is another who could return from injury ahead of the Forest clash. He has been out for about a month with a hamstring injury he picked up against United.