Tottenham Hotspur have been rocked with another massive injury setback ahead of their must-win Premier League six-pointer against West Ham United in Saturday evening’s London derby.
Spurs are heading into the game looking to snap a four-match winless streak across all competitions (D2, L2), but they’d have to do so without top scorer Richarlison.
Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has confirmed that the Brazilian striker will likely miss up to seven weeks of action with a hamstring injury.
Richarlison was forced off after just half an hour in the 2-1 FA Cup third-round defeat against Aston Villa and was replaced by Randal Kolo Muani.
His setback adds to Tottenham’s already concerning list of long-term absentees, which further reduces their hopes of a resurgence to a pipe dream.
Richarlison pulled his left hamstring during a duel with Villa defender Ezri Konsa but was able to limp off the pitch, sparking hopes that the issue may not be as bad as first feared.
However, Frank confirmed the worst fears for Tottenham fans during his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s meeting with West Ham.
“Unfortunately, Richarlison has a hamstring injury that will keep him out for up to seven weeks,” he said.
Richarlison’s absence is a major blow for Tottenham
Injuries have plagued Richarlison’s Tottenham career since he joined from Everton in 2022.
He seemed to have put his injury woes behind him under Frank’s leadership, featuring in every Premier League game so far and returning seven goals.
That was before he pulled his hamstring against Villa in the FA Cup. Richarlison’s absence adds to Tottenham’s alarming injury woes.
Mohamed Kudus and Rodrigo Bentancur are expected to be out for months, while Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison are still recovering from long-term injuries.
On the bright side, Dominic Solanke couldn’t have picked a better time to return to the fold.
His seven-minute cameo against Villa was his first appearance since the 2-0 win over Manchester City in August last year, so he still needs to recapture his rhythm.
However, he’ll be tasked with leading the line alongside Kolo Muani with Richarlison in the infirmary.