Tottenham: Richarlison latest injury and the knock-on effect is a concern for Spurs

As Richarlison made his mode retired of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium connected Sunday, helium was asked by a newsman however helium was feeling.

"Shit, bro," came the Brazilian's little reply, accompanied by a shy grin.

Richarlison is not the lone Spurs subordinate to beryllium forced disconnected the transportation with an evident wounded successful the past week, arsenic the toll of the docket begins to bite, but his latest setback successful the 4-1 triumph implicit Aston Villa felt particularly cruel.

The striker pulled up and clutched the backmost of his limb aft bursting beyond Pape Matar Sarr and squaring to Dominic Solanke for Spurs' 4th goal, and Ange Postecoglou afterwards confirmed helium had "felt his hamstring".

Richarlison had lone been connected the tract for 26 minutes successful his 5th quality since returning from 2 months retired with an unspecified injury, and could present beryllium acceptable for different spell connected the sidelines - with Spurs assessing him up of Thursday's Europa League necktie against Galatasaray successful Turkey.

Injuries happen, but Richarlison's latest ailment is simply a peculiar interest due to the fact that the nine went to large lengths to effort to forestall this nonstop scenario.

The club's aesculapian and coaching unit efficaciously utilized the October planetary interruption arsenic a 2nd pre-season for the 27-year-old, cautiously gathering up his spot and fittingness successful the anticipation that helium would beryllium little apt to interruption down again erstwhile helium returned to playing.

"We've taken our clip with him," Postecoglou explained connected October 18. "We've utilized the past mates of weeks to get his fittingness basal up and him into bully carnal information truthful we don't person to support going done this rhythm of him coming backmost and breaking down."

Richarlison has already been done 7 abstracted wounded lay-offs of much than 2 weeks since joining Spurs from Everton successful summertime 2022, 4 of which were during past play and included pelvic country connected a niggling interest successful November past year.

If helium has suffered different musculus strain, which appears the likeliest result astatine this infinitesimal successful time, it volition consciousness similar a instrumentality to quadrate 1 for the nine and the forward, and a further stroke to Spurs' hopes of maintaining their encouraging signifier connected aggregate fronts.

The upshot of losing Richarlison for immoderate magnitude of clip would beryllium much unit connected Solanke, peculiar arsenic Postecoglou is presently manging Heung-min Son's minutes.

Since an ankle ailment disrupted his commencement astatine Spurs successful August, Solanke has established himself arsenic a cardinal portion of his caller team, offering an awesome level of enactment without the shot adjacent erstwhile helium is struggling for service, which Postecoglou believes has made Spurs better.

"The goals are large and of people arsenic a striker I americium definite helium loves the information helium tin people a mates of goals, but adjacent if helium didn't, I can't talk highly capable of what helium is contributing to our squad astatine the moment," Postecoglou said aft Solanke's second-half treble took the crippled distant from Villa connected Sunday.

"And agelong whitethorn it proceed due to the fact that with him playing that way, it conscionable makes america a amended team."

But the England guardant completed 90 minutes successful each 3 of Spurs' games past week, and helium volition request a remainder astatine immoderate point, perchance against Galatasaray successful Istanbul.

Postecoglou has said the nine ever wanted to support Richarlison successful the summer, amid involvement from Saudi Arabia, with the anticipation of him and Solanke sharing the load up-front and pushing each different to improve, portion Sunday's crippled besides offered a glimpse of the pair's quality to enactment successful tandem.

For now, however, it seems Richarlison's instrumentality to prominence astatine Spurs whitethorn beryllium delayed again, leaving the nine facing an anxious hold to observe the grade of his injury.

In the meantime, Will Lankshear, 19, is the likeliest prime to deputise up beforehand should Solanke request a breather connected Thursday and Richarlison is unavailable.