Tottenham Hotspur have seemingly been handed a fresh concern with Cristian Romero ahead of Saturday's Premier League home fixture against Nottingham Forest.
The Argentine centre-back saw red for two bookable offences in Wednesday's Champions League draw with AC Milan, although he stayed down after his second yellow card challenge on Theo Hernandez.
Many were sceptical about Romero's possible injury, but Antonio Conte is sure to be without four players in Hugo Lloris, Rodrigo Bentancur, Ryan Sessegnon and Yves Bissouma, while Emerson Royal and Ivan Perisic need assessing due to knocks.
Backup goalkeeper Fraser Forster continues to deputise for Lloris in between the sticks, while Eric Dier is back from a European ban and will make an immediate return to the backline alongside Clement Lenglet.
Conte will expect to have Romero fit to complete the rearguard trifecta, while Pedro Porro and Ben Davies could start out wide, with Conte claiming on Friday that Emerson and Perisic are only likely to make the bench at best.
Oliver Skipp has done a sterling job in the middle of the park lately, but Conte may consider bringing in Pape Sarr given the quick turnaround and the Englishman's fitness woes, as Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg holds his spot in the engine room.
Conte was the target of a scathing post-match rant from Richarlison, who labelled his debut season "s***" after being dropped from the first XI for the clash with Milan, but he has done his chances of a recall no favours whatsoever.
However, there should be scope for the unfancied Arnaut Danjuma to make his first Premier League start for his new club, pushing Son Heung-min out of the XI as Harry Kane and Dejan Kulusevski complete the trident.
Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup: Forster; Romero, Dier, Lenglet; Porro, Hojbjerg, Sarr, Davies; Kulusevski, Kane, Danjuma
Ben Knapton
