Sandro Tonali ruled out of Tottenham's Carabao Cup trip to Liverpool
Tottenham head to Anfield for Tuesday night's Carabao Cup tie without £100 million summer signing Sandro Tonali, who has a knock. Pedro Porro also remains unavailable, while Destiny Udogie has recovered enough to travel. Roberto De Zerbi confirmed the news ahead of the Liverpool clash.
- Fixture: Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur, Carabao Cup
- Venue: Anfield
- Date: Tuesday night
- Out: Sandro Tonali (knock), Pedro Porro (muscle issue), Dejan Kulusevski (kneecap problem)
- Available: Destiny Udogie (recovered from precautionary absence)
- At stake: Spurs must cope without key men against Liverpool
Injury and availability
Sandro Tonali will miss the trip to Anfield after feeling a knock. The £100 million summer signing is a significant absence for Roberto De Zerbi's side.
Pedro Porro is still not available. He had been sidelined with what was described as a minor muscle issue.
Destiny Udogie has recovered enough to travel. He missed the 0-0 draw with Everton as a precaution, part of a wider effort to control his workload after previous muscle injuries.
Dejan Kulusevski remains some distance from first-team football. He has been absent since the end of the 2024-25 season with a serious kneecap problem.
What was said
"There is no Sandro Tonali because he felt a knock."
"Pedro is still not available. Udogie, yes [he is available]."
De Zerbi was direct and gave no spin, no mystery. His comments underline that Tonali's knock is enough to keep him out of a cup tie at Anfield. The Italian coach also made clear that Porro's minor muscle issue has not cleared up in time.
The return of Udogie gives De Zerbi one problem solved and another still hanging there. The left-back's availability is a boost, but the absence of Tonali and Porro leaves Spurs lighter in midfield and defence.
Why De Zerbi is leaning on sports science
Tottenham spent the summer reshaping their medical and performance structure after last season's injury chaos nearly dragged them into the Championship. Dan Lewindon is overseeing that rebuild, with Ali James, Tom Tombleson and Agostino Tibaudi all added to key roles. The idea is simple: better monitoring, better planning, fewer breakdowns.
Minutes are being managed carefully, and substitutions are increasingly part of that plan. Destiny Udogie was taken off around the hour mark against Nottingham Forest, while Rodrigo Bentancur and Mateus Fernandes were both withdrawn shortly after the hour against Everton. Whether those changes were all medically driven was not fully explained, but the pattern is obvious.
Against Liverpool, Spurs will need control, discipline and enough physical resilience to stay in the game. Without Tonali and Porro, that task gets harder. With Udogie back, at least De Zerbi has one less headache. Right now, that counts as progress.
Talking points
- Can Tottenham cope at Anfield without their £100m midfielder Tonali? The balance of the side looks weaker without him.
- Is De Zerbi's cautious approach to minutes costing Spurs in the short term? The evidence suggests it might.
- Destiny Udogie's return is timely, but does his history of muscle injuries mean he should be handled carefully again?
- With Porro still out, who fills in at right-back? De Zerbi has a selection dilemma.
What happens next
Tottenham face Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday night in the Carabao Cup. The result will show whether De Zerbi's squad can absorb the absences of Tonali and Porro. Spurs then return to Premier League action, with the medical team continuing to monitor Udogie's workload and Kulusevski's long-term recovery.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sandro Tonali playing for Tottenham against Liverpool?
No. Roberto De Zerbi confirmed that Tonali will miss the Carabao Cup tie at Anfield because he felt a knock.
Is Pedro Porro available for Tottenham vs Liverpool?
No, Porro is still not available. He remains sidelined with a minor muscle issue.
Is Destiny Udogie fit to face Liverpool?
Yes, De Zerbi confirmed Udogie is available. He missed the 0-0 draw with Everton as a precaution.
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