Cristian Romero was listed in Tottenham Hotspur\u2019s starting XI for the match against Aston Villa but sustained an injury before kickoff and did not take the field. Kevin Danso was brought in to partner Micky van de Ven, with van de Ven wearing the captain\u2019s armband for the match. Spurs still took the lead in under a minute in front of a surprised home crowd.<\/p>\n
The absence of Romero continues a clear pattern. Of the 25 Premier League matches he has missed in the past two years, Tottenham have won only six (24%). With Romero in the side the club\u2019s win rate is markedly higher: 29 wins from 58 matches, a 50% success rate.<\/p>\n
The defensive issues were not confined to Romero. Left back Destiny Udogie was also absent after suffering a setback while away with Italy this month. \u201cHe came back from international duty with a minor irritation in the knee, so that just keeps him out for this game,\u201d Frank told Sky Sports ahead of kickoff. The Danish boss added that long-term absence was not planned, saying, \u201cThat\u2019s not the plan.\u201d<\/p>\n
Midfield and striking options are affected as well. Yves Bissouma is expected to be sidelined for \u201ca few weeks\u201d with an ankle problem. First-choice centre forward Dominic Solanke remains unavailable following knee surgery last month and is currently out for an indefinite period.<\/p>\n
Frank provided an update on Solanke\u2019s rehabilitation: \u201cDom\u2019s progressed well post-surgery,\u201d Frank insisted ahead of Sunday\u2019s match. \u201cThe good thing is he is progressing, but he is still training on his own. I don\u2019t want to be too negative or get too excited. How long he takes [to return], I don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tottenham must navigate the immediate fixtures without a player who has a demonstrable influence on results and with several other first-team options restricted by injury. The club\u2019s short-term choices will continue to be dictated by fitness updates and the recovery timelines provided by the medical staff.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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