Tudor faces injury crisis ahead of north London showdown

February 20, 2026 Oliver Obel

Tottenham will head into Sunday’s meeting with Arsenal short of options and under mounting pressure, with midfielder Lucas Bergvall expected to miss around six weeks through injury.

TEAMtalk first reported, citing journalist Dean Jones, that the Sweden international is unlikely to return before April. His absence adds to a growing list of unavailable players at a time when Spurs sit just five points clear of the Premier League’s bottom three following last weekend’s loss to Newcastle the result that ended Thomas Frank’s tenure.

Igor Tudor now takes charge for the first time knowing his opening assignment comes against the division’s leaders and fiercest rivals.

Midfield stretched thin

The biggest strain is in midfield. Bergvall joins Mohammed Kudus, James Maddison, Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski on the sidelines, leaving Tudor with limited room to rotate.

Conor Gallagher, Joao Palhinha, Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr are the remaining senior options in central areas. Archie Gray, who filled in at right-back against Newcastle, may again be asked to adapt depending on how Tudor reshapes the back line.

Problems at the back

Defensively, the situation is hardly more stable. Captain Cristian Romero is serving a four-match suspension and is not due back until mid-March. Ben Davies, Destiny Udogie and Kevin Danso also remain unavailable, reducing cover across the defensive unit.

Pedro Porro’s fitness could prove important. Before his departure, Frank said it would be the “dream” scenario for the full-back to return in time for Arsenal, indicating there was a chance he could feature. Tudor is expected to provide an update when he faces the media before the match.

In attack, Richarlison is nearing a comeback and could offer another option, but Wilson Odobert has been ruled out for the long term after suffering a ruptured ACL in his left knee.

A high-stakes debut

Arsenal arrive in strong form as they continue their push at the top of the table, adding further weight to an already charged derby atmosphere. For Tudor, the challenge is immediate: organize a patched-up squad, steady a team that has slipped dangerously close to the relegation fight, and compete against a side chasing the title.

The bench may once again feature several academy graduates, as it did against Newcastle, alongside recent arrival Souza. With numbers stretched and little preparation time, Tottenham’s new manager has few easy solutions only decisions to make before one of the season’s most demanding fixtures.

Sources: TEAMtalk