Ange Postecoglou believes against Leicester City and has outlined a new concern for Richarlison.
Injured Bulge Richarlison started his first domestic game of the season and gave Spurs a 33rd minute win over the team that started the day from Jamie Vardy and Bilal El Khannouss at the start of the second half to extend. The hosts’ dire was one point from seven league games.
James Maddison helped Tottenham win at Hoffenheim In the Europa League on Thursday, but didn’t play against Leicester because he was “sore” and Sarr replaced the playmaker before being withdrawn alongside Richarlison after 54 minutes.
“(Richarlisons) actually felt his groin – he probably should have left at halftime, but he wanted to do another 10 minutes,” Postecoglou said, speaking to Play spurs.
“I could see he wasn’t moving well so we had to take him off. Pape should never have started today but we lost Madders (Maddison) really late so we had to start with Pape. “
“It’s painful.”
Son Heung-min reacts to Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-1 loss to Leicester City ⚪️🔵 pic.twitter.com/elat4sm3lu
– Sky Sports Premier League (@skysportSPL) January 26, 2025
Richarlison injury history
Richarlison started less than half of Tottenham’s league games last season, barely appearing after February due to knee and hamstring injuries.
The Brazil international said he “suffered for eight months” when he had groin surgery in November 2023, but started scoring nine goals in eight appearances the following month.
Tottenham are missing an extensive list of players through injuries, although Postecoglou said he expected defenders Cristian Romero and Micky Van de Ven to return to training in the immediate future.
The Australian is under pressure in his second season as Tottenham fans expressed their anger at chairman Daniel Levy during their fourth straight defeat.
POSTECOGLOU: Tottenham ‘try’
“When you’re in a position like that, look at the people around you,” Postecoglou said. “I just feel like the players, the staff, the people I deal with at the football club are still completely supportive of what we’re trying to do.
“That’s all you can ask for as a manager. This gives me the energy to put my own disappointment and feelings aside – to make sure that I try to support these people who are trying as hard as they can to turn this around.
“They put in a massive change on Thursday night to get the job done and they had to back it up again today. Some of them probably shouldn’t have been out there, but we ask them to dig in as much as they can – and they are.
“In the next 10 days or two weeks we will have some important players back. I will know that they will strengthen the whole group. As I keep telling the players and staff, there are still great opportunities to make this season special. “
“It hurts. It hurts very much. “
Ange Postecoglou reacts to Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-1 loss to Leicester 💬 pic.twitter.com/ltrpidymw8
– Sky Sports Premier League (@skysportSPL) January 26, 2025
Spurs fittings
Spurs can guarantee a place in the knockout stages of the Europa League by winning at home to Swedish side Elfsborg in their final league phase game on Thursday (8pm GMT). They are confident that they will at least push for a play-off draw regardless of the result.
Tottenham will be 1-0 ahead on February 6 (8pm) following a 1-0 lead at Liverpool (8pm) in the fourth round of the FA Cup three days later (5.35pm).
