Tottenham Hotspur have a promising young fullback, provided he can stay healthy, in Destiny Udogie. Over the past year or two however, Udogie has been battling injury issues, and he’s currently sidelined with a thigh problem. When we first learned that Udogie was injured, Spurs fans naturally assumed that the defender would be out awhile, and perhaps longer than what manager Thomas Frank had projected publicly. Given the recent injury history, it’s understandable.
However, Udogie is recovering well, and making good progress on his comeback, according to Frank.
Festive Fixtures FYIs
Tottenham Hotspur vs Sunderland
Kickoff: Sun. Jan. 4, 3pm, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, UK
Premier League Standing: Tottenham 12th, 26 points Sunderland 7th, 29 pts
Result Probability: Tottenham win 53% Draw 26% Sunderland win 21%
Spurs Team News
“He is running out there on the pitch, doing individual sessions, so progressing and going forward, so that’s good,” Frank said of Udogie a couple days ago.
The Sunday Sunderland clash will come too soon for him, but Udogie could be back in a couple weeks or so. Elsewhere Lucas Bergvall had suffered an injury scare, with an unspecified problem, but it appears that he’s actually fine, and he’ll be available this weekend.
“Lucas is OK,” Frank said in the same press conference where he discussed Udogie. “I am quite positive that he’ll be available, of course, there is a small doubt, but it’s quite possible he’ll be available.”
Meanwhile Xavi Simons remains suspended, but he’ll be eligible again next week.
Other than that, the situation remains the same with the longer-term injury absentees and the players who are away at AFCON.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG.org and Ratings.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.