Tottenham's Revival Under De Zerbi Amid Injury Challenges

Tottenham finally have a pulse. After a winless, bleak start that left them staring up at the rest of the Premier League, Roberto De Zerbi’s side have kicked into gear, climbed off the bottom and clambered out of the relegation zone.

Coventry were brushed aside at home to spark the season into life. Then came Stamford Bridge. Chelsea away has been a graveyard for Spurs teams for decades, but this time they walked out with only their second league win there in 36 years. It felt significant. It felt like a turning point.

Yet behind the surge in form, the treatment room is overflowing. De Zerbi has momentum, but he does not have a full squad. Now comes another London derby, at home to Crystal Palace, with pressure mounting on Pierre Sage and a run of winnable fixtures on the schedule before an early-December clash with Arsenal. The timing of every comeback suddenly matters.

Maddison’s torment continues

No one at Tottenham has suffered more misfortune than James Maddison over the past 18 months.

He fought his way back from a ruptured ACL late last season, only to fracture his shoulder at the start of this one. Just as he was beginning to knit Spurs’ attacking play together again, another blow landed at Stamford Bridge.

Midway through the second half against Chelsea, Maddison sat down on the turf, clearly distressed, clutching his groin. Team-mates gathered around him as he received treatment; the look on his face told its own story.

The immediate images were worrying, but the signs afterwards soothed some of the panic. Maddison walked away from the ground unaided and later joined the players on the pitch during the post-match celebrations.

Initial reports suggest the groin issue is not thought to be serious. De Zerbi echoed that cautious optimism after the game, stressing how “special” Maddison is for this team and how badly Spurs “need him”.

For now, his exact return date is unclear, though early November remains a realistic target. Until he is back, every creative spark he usually provides will be sorely missed.

Udogie’s absence gnaws at De Zerbi

Destiny Udogie has not featured in either of Spurs’ league wins this season. De Zerbi has put his absence down to a “fitness issue”, but the root cause is more specific – a knee problem picked up against Manchester United.

Since that game, the Italian full-back has been unable to train properly, a situation that has clearly frustrated his head coach. De Zerbi admitted he has “not worked with him” at all since the United match, calling it “a problem”.

Udogie still feels pain in the knee, though there is some hope. The manager suggested he could be available as soon as next week. For a side that relies heavily on its full-backs for width and aggression, his return in November would be a significant boost.

Adarabioyo’s debut interrupted

Tosin Adarabioyo’s first start for Tottenham, against Coventry, looked like the beginning of a solid partnership at the back. He impressed with his calmness and positioning. Then, typically for Spurs’ luck of late, his full debut was cut short by a suspected calf issue.

De Zerbi played down the severity of the injury in the build-up to the Chelsea game, yet Adarabioyo did not make the squad at all at Stamford Bridge.

The expectation is that he will be in contention for the Crystal Palace match at home on Saturday, October 31. If fit, he walks straight back into the conversation for a starting place.

Bergvall close to a return

Lucas Bergvall’s start to life in north London has been interrupted, but not derailed.

The Swedish midfielder picked up a knock in the draw at Old Trafford, hurting his knee early on – just as he was creating a chance for Dominic Solanke. He finished the game feeling fine, only for the pain to flare up the following day at the training ground.

De Zerbi confirmed then that Bergvall would be out for two weeks. That timetable now brings him right up to this weekend. Tottenham hope to have him available for the Palace clash, which would restore another option in a midfield that has been stretched.

Savio sidelined for “some weeks”

Savio, a summer arrival from Manchester City, was the third player to fall during that bruising 1-1 draw with Manchester United.

De Zerbi has labelled it a muscle injury, but has not gone into more detail. The Brazilian then suffered a setback just before Spurs flew out to Marbella for a training camp in Spain, feeling another muscular problem on the Tuesday before departure.

The outcome was blunt: Tottenham lost him “for some weeks”. The working estimate has him targeting a return at home to Ipswich on November 21. Until then, De Zerbi must look elsewhere for the pace and direct running Savio was signed to provide.

Waiting on Mudryk

Mykhailo Mudryk’s loan move from Chelsea promised intrigue. So far, it has delivered frustration.

The Ukrainian has managed just one appearance since crossing London on Deadline Day. An ankle injury in training last month stalled his integration, with De Zerbi describing the setback as “stupid” and avoidable.

Medical staff handed down a rough six-to-eight-week timeframe in mid-September. That points towards an early November return, though Tottenham have taken a conservative approach with injuries this season and will be especially careful with a player who has not strung together back-to-back competitive games since November 2024.

Mudryk would not have been allowed to face his parent club at Stamford Bridge anyway. His real impact, if it comes, will have to arrive in the weeks that follow.

Odobert and Simons on the long road back

Wilson Odobert’s story is a longer one. The winger tore his ACL in a defeat to Newcastle in February and has been working his way back ever since.

He has stepped up his rehabilitation at Hotspur Way after surgery and is understood to be progressing well. De Zerbi, though, has been honest about the uncertainty. Odobert has not yet started full training with the squad, and the head coach admitted he has “no idea” when the Frenchman will be ready to return.

December remains the tentative marker. Anything earlier would be a bonus.

For Xavi Simons, the horizon stretches even further away. The playmaker also suffered a ruptured ACL back in April and is not expected to be available until early 2027. His absence has been quietly significant; his creativity and versatility would have been tailor-made for De Zerbi’s system.

Tottenham’s league position looks healthier, the mood around the club lighter, the football sharper. Yet the manager’s whiteboard still has too many names circled in red. If this revival is to become something more substantial than a short burst of form, the next few weeks are clear: keep winning, and start getting bodies back in time for Arsenal.