Tottenham Hotspur dealt injury blow ahead of Liverpool cup clash

Tottenham Hotspur dealt injury blow ahead of Liverpool cup clash Mudryk injury leaves Tottenham short of a fresh option for Liverpool cup tie Mykhailo Mudryk had barely begun his Tottenham career before another interruption arrived. A brief appearance at Nottingham Forest offered the possibility of regular football again. An ankle injury has now put that progress on hold. For Roberto De Zerbi, the setback removes a new attacking option before Tottenham travel to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup. For Mudryk, it means the early weeks of a season intended to restore his rhythm will instead be spent recovering. BBC Sport’s Sami Mokbel and Nizaar Kinsella report that the winger is expected to be sidelined for around six to eight weeks. That timescale would rule him out of the third-round meeting at Anfield. Photo: IMAGO Mudryk injury interrupts Tottenham return According to the BBC report, Mudryk injured his ankle in training on Monday and is understood to be wearing a protective boot. His appearance in Saturday’s goalless draw at Forest had been his first senior outing since November 2024. The 25-year-old came on in the 74th minute, beginning the gradual process of finding his feet after joining Tottenham on a season-long loan from Chelsea. There is a difference between being available for selection and being ready to influence matches consistently. Mudryk was only starting to work towards the latter. Training sessions, familiarity with team-mates and carefully managed minutes would all have mattered during this opening period. The injury postpones that process before De Zerbi has had much opportunity to assess him in competitive action. Liverpool cup tie arrives too soon Liverpool host Tottenham on Tuesday, 15 September, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm BST. Liverpool’s official fixture announcement confirms the match was brought forward by a day because of scheduling clashes. On the reported recovery timeline, Mudryk will be unavailable. Describing him as merely a doubt would understate the gap between next Tuesday’s fixture and an absence measured in weeks. His loss reduces De Zerbi’s options, although it should not be confused with the removal of an established starter. Mudryk had made only one substitute appearance for Spurs. The cup tie could have offered another opportunity to build his involvement. Instead, Tottenham must prepare for Liverpool without a player recruited to add something different to their attack. De Zerbi’s backing remains significant Before the Forest match, De Zerbi spoke positively about the winger he previously coached at Shakhtar Donetsk. “The potential is clear,” he said in comments published on Tottenham’s official website , adding: “he’s a great player.” Those remarks explain part of the appeal of this reunion. Mudryk has joined a manager familiar with his ability, giving their work together a foundation beyond the usual introductions that accompany a transfer. De Zerbi had also indicated that the winger was ready for part of a match rather than immediately committing to a starting role. His debut followed that measured approach. Now the challenge changes. Building match fitness must wait while the ankle recovers, delaying the chance to turn the manager’s confidence into performances. October return remains a possibility The BBC report identifies October as a realistic prospect for Mudryk’s return, with the forthcoming international break falling within his expected absence. That remains an estimate. It does not establish a particular comeback fixture or guarantee that he will immediately be ready to start once available. Tottenham’s task is to manage the matches ahead with the players they have. Mudryk’s is to recover sufficiently to resume a comeback that had only just begun. Anfield will arrive too early. The more substantial question is how soon after this latest interruption he can earn a sustained role in De Zerbi’s side.