Tottenham Hotspur to Gain Advantage Due to AFCON Absences
Tottenham Hotspur is poised to receive a significant boost in their upcoming matches against Liverpool and Crystal Palace, as several key players will be absent due to participating in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Spurs will host Liverpool on Saturday, December 20, benefiting from the absence of key forward Mohamed Salah, who recently departed for Morocco to join the Egyptian national team. As a result, Salah will miss Premier League games until the new year.
Although Salah had been on the bench for some matches, he demonstrated his ability in Liverpool’s recent game against Brighton, where he assisted in a 2-0 victory. His absence will surely relieve Djed Spence, who instead may face Dominik Szoboszlai.
In addition, Spurs will face Crystal Palace on December 28 without having to contend with attacking midfielder Ismaila Sarr, who is also away on AFCON duty with Senegal, which further strengthens Tottenham’s position.
However, Tottenham will also lose two players to AFCON: Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr. While Bissouma hasn’t played this season due to injury, he has been called up to represent Mali. Pape Matar will join Sarr with Senegal, a nation that recently claimed the AFCON title.
This season has been tumultuous for Spurs, currently sitting 11th in the Premier League with an equal number of wins, losses, and draws. Under Thomas Frank, the team is aiming for improvement as they contend in both the league and the Champions League after qualifying via a Europa League victory.
Amidst this uncertainty about league performance, Frank has addressed the challenges he faces, acknowledging the necessity for time and cohesion to implement his strategies effectively. His outlook emphasizes the importance of consistency in performance for future success.
