Tottenham XI vs Liverpool: Key Absences Ahead of Carabao Cup Clash
Tottenham head to Anfield stripped of key names and still carrying the weight of a 15-year winless run on Merseyside.
Sandro Tonali and Pedro Porro both miss tonight’s Carabao Cup clash with Liverpool, dealing Roberto De Zerbi a double blow just as Spurs chase a place in the fourth round and a much-needed jolt to a stuttering start.
Two straight 0-0 draws against Nottingham Forest and Everton have drained momentum. Now comes Anfield, under the lights, with a patched-up squad and a manager forced into yet more reshuffling after a disrupted pre-season.
Tonali and Porro sidelined, Udogie returns
De Zerbi confirmed Tonali had taken a minor knock in the Everton stalemate, ruling the midfielder out of the trip. Porro, meanwhile, is still battling the muscular problem that already kept him out at the weekend.
The one piece of good news: Destiny Udogie is back. Rested as a precaution against Everton, the Italian defender returns straight to the starting XI on the left of the back four.
“Pedro is still not available. Udogie yes,” De Zerbi said, laying out the latest on a growing injury list that continues to shape his selection.
Richarlison frozen out again
On Richarlison, nothing has changed. And that’s the story.
The Brazilian remains in limbo, eligible for the Carabao Cup but still not part of De Zerbi’s plans. Left out of the club’s Premier League squad after pushing hard for a summer exit that never materialised, the former Everton striker will not even travel to Merseyside.
“Richarlison, you already know everything, nothing changed for the Carabao Cup or Premier League. The situation is the same,” De Zerbi said, underlining just how firmly the door remains closed for now.
Dejan Kulusevski, another long-term absentee, is also not ready to return, while the treatment room stays busy with Xavi Simons, Wilson Odobert, and Mykhailo Mudryk all still sidelined.
Rotation, youth and a reshaped XI
Spurs rotate for the cup, but this is no throwaway side.
Martin Dubravka comes in to start in goal. Tosin Adarabioyo is handed his first start at centre-back, lining up alongside Marcos Senesi, with youngster Gray on the right and Udogie on the left.
In midfield, De Zerbi turns to energy and legs: Rodrigo Bentancur anchors alongside Lucas Bergvall and Conor Gallagher. Ahead of them, Mohammed Kudus supports an attacking trio where Mathys Tel cuts in from the left and Omar Marmoush leads the line.
The bench also hints at opportunities. De Zerbi admitted he is considering minutes for academy winger Luca Williams-Barnett, stressing that even 30 minutes in a “real game” could be crucial for his development, though he stopped short of guaranteeing an appearance.
“Yes, there is not Sandro Tonali. I forgot to say because he felt a knock,” the Spurs boss added, almost as an afterthought, underlining how quickly the absences are stacking up.
Tottenham XI vs Liverpool
Tottenham XI: Dubravka; Gray, Tosin, Senesi, Udogie; Bentancur, Bergvall, Gallagher; Kudus, Tel, Marmoush
Subs: Kinsky, Robertson, Van Hecke, Maddison, Savio, Fernandes, Solanke, Van de Ven, Davies
Injured: Simons, Odobert, Kulusevski, Tonali, Porro, Mudryk
Unavailable: Richarlison
Kick-off is at 8pm BST on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at Anfield. Live coverage is on Sky Sports and ITV4.
Fifteen years without a win here, a thinned-out squad, and a manager turning to fresh faces and new combinations. If Spurs are going to change the story at Anfield, this is the night to rip up the script.
