Tottenham’s Udogie Sidelined With Knee Problem, De Zerbi Confirms
Tottenham's long-awaited first Premier League win of the season came without Destiny Udogie, after Roberto De Zerbi confirmed the defender missed Monday's 3-1 victory over Coventry with a knee problem.
Udogie picked up the injury during the 1-1 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford, playing 70 minutes before being withdrawn. 'Destiny Udogie played 70 minutes, and he suffered a problem in his knee, and we didn't take a risk,' De Zerbi told Sky Sports. With no prior warning of the issue, his absence from the squad caught supporters by surprise.
According to Tottenham's official update, Udogie played the first 74 minutes at Old Trafford on Saturday evening before being replaced by Micky van de Ven, and the club described his absence on Monday as a precautionary measure taken together with the medical staff. Even so, the sight of the left-back missing from the matchday squad entirely — rather than taking a place on the bench — underlined how carefully Spurs are handling a player whose recent seasons have been repeatedly interrupted by fitness problems.
It continues a frustrating run for the Italy international, whose hamstring trouble at the end of the 2023-24 campaign and again in the middle of 2024-25, plus knee and hamstring problems last season, restricted him to just 20 Premier League appearances.
A Season Already Under Pressure
The timing of the setback could hardly have been worse for a club still searching for traction. Tottenham went into Monday night still looking for their first Premier League victory of the season, with their home form described as dreadful, and the fixture carried an extra historical edge as a repeat of the 1987 FA Cup final against a Coventry team, managed by Frank Lampard, who arrived in north London in good form in recent weeks and holding no fear of the trip.
De Zerbi had prepared for the game by taking his squad on a four-night team bonding trip to Marbella, an attempt to reset a season that had yet to produce a league win. That context explains why the manager could not afford to gamble on Udogie's knee: with confidence fragile and the schedule about to intensify, losing the defender for a longer spell by rushing him back for one night would have been the worst of all outcomes. The cautious call — no risk, agreed alongside the medical staff — fits a pattern in how Spurs have handled Udogie throughout his time at the club.
Growing injury list
Udogie is not alone in the treatment room: De Zerbi revealed in his pre-match press conference that Lucas Bergvall and Savio had also been added to the injury list. With a packed schedule ahead, Spurs' squad depth is about to be tested.
The full picture is more stretched still. Rodrigo Bentancur was suspended for the Coventry match, while Pedro Porro, Mykhailo Mudryk, Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert all remained out, and Richarlison is not registered for the Premier League. Savio's problem is a muscle injury that is set to keep the winger out for a number of matches, while Conor Gallagher had only returned to training two days before the game, and Mateus Fernandes — who became a father for the first time during the week — had trained only in the final two days. Udogie therefore joins Porro, Savio and Bergvall on the treatment table at a moment when De Zerbi could least afford further losses, with the manager admitting the absences in midfield directly shaped his tactics on the night.
How Spurs Coped Without Him
De Zerbi reshaped his side in Udogie's absence, with Andy Robertson starting on the left of the defence and Tottenham operating with three at the back in possession. The manager explained the thinking afterwards: with Gallagher only just back, Bergvall injured and Fernandes short of training, the back three offered protection against Coventry's counter-attack — and, as he noted with satisfaction, Spurs did not concede from a counter-attack all night.
In the event, the makeshift structure delivered Tottenham's first league victory of the campaign and lifted them up to 16th in the Premier League table. James Maddison, making his first start in 17 months — his first competitive start since May 2025 — was among the scorers, alongside Omar Marmoush and Ben Davies, with Jack Rudoni replying for a Coventry side managed by Frank Lampard. There was a first full debut for Tosin Adarabioyo at right-back, with Archie Gray pushed into his favoured midfield role, and a place on the bench for Dejan Kulusevski, 526 days on from the complicated knee injury that had kept the Swede out for so long.
The quality of the goals matched the occasion. Maddison and Marmoush both struck wonder goals either side of Rudoni's effort for the visitors, meaning the outcome was not fully settled until Davies — on as a substitute — added the third. For a team that had waited so long for a first win, and had reshuffled its defence around Udogie's absence hours before kick-off, the manner of the victory mattered almost as much as the result: it suggested a squad, however stretched, that still has match-winners capable of deciding games on their own.
The night was not entirely comfortable on the fitness front, however. Robertson appeared to suffer a hamstring issue in the second half, Adarabioyo required assessment as he left the pitch, and Marmoush was seen clutching his right calf, with all three substituted. De Zerbi moved quickly to calm those fears after the match, insisting: "No, no, no, I think there are no injuries, nothing important." With Udogie already sidelined, any one of Robertson, Adarabioyo or Marmoush joining him would have stretched the squad far further.
Udogie's Road to Tottenham
Udogie's importance to Spurs makes his repeated absences all the harder to absorb. Born in Verona in November 2002, he came through the youth system at Hellas Verona and made his senior debut for the club in November 2020. A loan move to Udinese in 2021 showcased his attacking thrust from left-back, and Tottenham moved quickly, signing him in August 2022 when he was still only 19. Rather than rushing him to England, Spurs loaned him straight back to Udinese for the 2022-23 season, giving him another full campaign of Serie A football before he arrived in north London and made his debut in August 2023.
The club's faith was underlined in December 2023, when Udogie signed a new long-term contract running until the summer of 2030. He has represented Italy at senior level since October 2023, winning 12 caps, and played a key role in Tottenham's 2025 Europa League triumph. When fit, his pace, power and willingness to drive forward from left-back are central to how Spurs attack — which is precisely why his history of hamstring and knee problems, and the cautious management it demands, has become one of the recurring themes of his time in England.
That careful management has been visible again this season. Udogie's involvement in the opening weeks was limited and largely from the bench — a brief appearance at Brentford and 22 minutes against Newcastle United in August, alongside a longer run-out in the 5-1 win over Charlton Athletic — before the start at Old Trafford that ended with his withdrawal. A player being eased back in that fashion, then ruled out entirely after finally completing most of a match, illustrates the dilemma De Zerbi faces: Udogie needs rhythm and minutes to reach his best, but every increase in load carries the risk of another absence.
What Happens Next
The immediate question is whether Udogie recovers in time for Saturday's trip to Chelsea. No return date has been put on the defender, and the language from both De Zerbi and the club — a problem in the knee, no risk taken, a precautionary absence agreed with the medical staff — suggests the issue is being treated as short-term rather than serious. There is better news elsewhere in the squad: De Zerbi told reporters that World Cup winner Pedro Porro could be back for the Chelsea match, which would ease at least some of the pressure on the full-back positions.
Even if Udogie misses out again at Stamford Bridge, Monday's win showed De Zerbi has workable alternatives, with Robertson's experience and Davies' versatility covering the left side and the back-three shape offering a ready-made adjustment. But with Savio out for a number of matches, Bergvall sidelined and three more players needing assessment after the Coventry game, the manager's margin for error is thin. The depth strain was visible on Monday's bench, where Savio's absence opened a place for 18-year-old Luca Williams-Barnett, who could have made his Premier League debut, alongside fellow youngster Callum Olusesi. For Udogie himself, the priority will be breaking the stop-start pattern that limited him to 20 league appearances last season — because a Tottenham side chasing its first real momentum of the campaign needs its first-choice left-back on the pitch, not in the treatment room.
Source: Sports Mole