Dominic Solanke was ruled out of Tottenham Hotspur’s Premier League match against Chelsea on Tuesday, leaving Roberto De Zerbi to manage another major absence before a game that could secure Spurs’ top-flight status for another season.
De Zerbi said Solanke was not available because he is not fully fit. The striker has scored six times in all competitions this season but has only made 15 league appearances, and his latest setback came in the first half of last month’s 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers, when he suffered a muscle injury. He also missed the first half of the campaign with a persistent ankle issue.
Guglielmo Vicario is available after recovering from hernia surgery, giving Spurs a decision in goal for the first time in weeks. Vicario’s last appearance came in March, when Tottenham lost 3-0 to Nottingham Forest, and Antonin Kinsky has started every match since De Zerbi replaced Tudor. De Zerbi said, “Vicario is available to play,” and added, “I decide tomorrow (who starts in goal).”
The return of Vicario matters because Spurs have been stretched for weeks. De Zerbi said last week the bench lacked attacking options because Wilson Odobert, Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus were all unavailable. Odobert and Simons are still recovering from ACL injuries, while Kudus has not played since January because of a hamstring problem. That leaves Tottenham with fewer ways to change the game if Chelsea control the tempo at Stamford Bridge.
De Zerbi was careful not to push Solanke back too soon. “Solanke is not good yet. He is not available. He feels something. I don’t want to take a risk for this game,” he said. “We hope for Sunday. Maybe for Sunday he can be available for one part of the game.”
There is a clear line through Spurs’ season: when key players have gone down, the margin for error has vanished. Solanke’s injuries have kept him from building rhythm, and Vicario’s return gives De Zerbi one more experienced option in a side still waiting for its strongest shape. The immediate question now is whether that is enough to leave Stamford Bridge with the result Spurs need.
