Bergvall and Savio to miss Tottenham’s Coventry clash with injuries

Lucas Bergvall and Savio are set to miss Tottenham Hotspur’s meeting with Coventry City after being ruled out for the next few weeks, Spurs Web reports. Bergvall has a knee injury, with 31 October listed as a potential return date; Savio is dealing with a muscular problem and has no specific return date in the report.

The double absence leaves Roberto De Zerbi with fewer options for Monday’s match, but Spurs Web also reports that changes could bring James Maddison back into the starting side. Tottenham insider ‘szyexcl’ says Maddison is set to start, which would be his first competitive start for the club in more than 17 months.

Maddison has made eight substitute appearances during a spell disrupted by successive injuries. De Zerbi had previously said the midfielder needed to “complete 3/4/5 weeks without any problem” before starting, according to Spurs Web. At his latest pre-match press conference, however, the head coach said Maddison was ready to start while stopping short of confirming the selection.

“Right now he is ready to start the game, but I don’t know if we will start with him,” De Zerbi said, as quoted by Spurs Web. He added that some players can make an impact in 10, 15 or 20 minutes even if they have not yet reached their best physical condition, naming Maddison as one of them.

There may also be a boost on the bench. Spurs Web expects Dejan Kulusevski to return to the matchday squad after more than 500 days out, with any involvement against Coventry dependent on how the game develops.

At the other end of the pitch, BBC journalist Sami Mokbel reports that Tosin Adarabioyo is set for his first Premier League start for Tottenham. He has played five top-flight minutes since joining from Chelsea, though Spurs Web notes that he started last month’s 3-1 Carabao Cup defeat to Liverpool. Mokbel also reports that De Zerbi worked on possible defensive adjustments during the club’s recent training camp in Marbella.

Tottenham go into the match 16th, with six points from seven games—one place above Coventry, who have the same total. The injuries add to De Zerbi’s selection challenge as he weighs up returning players and new defensive options. After Coventry, Spurs travel to Chelsea on Saturday 24 October at 17:30 BST.