Tottenham suffered a massive blow ahead of their trip to Old Trafford on Sunday.
A few hours before kick-off, Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail reported Ange Postecoglou will be without captain Son Heung-min for the trip due to injury.
The South Korean picked up a hamstring issue during Spurs’ Europa League victory over Qarabag on Thursday and despite early hopes, has not recovered in time.
Tottenham confirmed the news when announcing their starting lineup against Manchester United. Timo Werner has come in to replace Son in attack.
Meanwhile, Erik ten Hag has handed Manuel Ugarte his first Premier League start. The two clubs both currently sit in the mid-table in the Premier League, tied on seven points.
Son Heung-min’s Injury Absence
The Son injury news is also a blow to South Korea with the international break kicking off in about 10 days.
Son was substituted against Qarabag FK in the team's Europa League opener. Postecoglou told media after the game that the player was tired, but didn't have a further update from the team's medical staff. According to the club, he looked to be in some discomfort coming off the pitch.
“Apart from Sonny, everyone’s OK. And Sonny I don’t think’s too bad. He wants to train tomorrow so we’ll see how it goes at training tomorrow and make a decision from there. We have another day up our sleeve to give him every chance,” Postecoglou said in a Friday press conference.
Son would be a big miss if he's unavailable to play at Old Trafford. The Tottenham captain last missed a Premier League game due to injury in Nov. 2022 after suffering a fractured eye socket. He's appeared in seven games across all competitions starting six.
Son has two goals and assists in the league so far and leads an attack featuring Dominic Solanke and an in-form Brennan Johnson. If he's unavailable to play, Postecoglou has multiple options at his disposal.
He could bring Timo Werner in on the left, or move Johnson out to fill Son's spot while pushing Dejan Kulusevski into the attack. It's possible Son makes the bench and comes on as a substitute late if he's not fully fit to start.
The Impact of Son’s Absence
Son’s absence was a major blow to Spurs' hopes of getting a result at Old Trafford. Despite Tottenham's recent run of form, the absence of their talisman was a significant factor in their defeat.
Postecoglou has already expressed concerns about Son's workload. He's played more than he'd like, and he acknowledged that it's not sustainable for Son to continue at this pace. This injury might be a sign that Son needs some time to rest and recover.
What’s Next for Son and Tottenham?
It's unclear how long Son will be sidelined, but Tottenham will be hoping that he can recover quickly. Son is a vital player for Tottenham and his absence will be felt. It remains to be seen how Tottenham will cope in his absence, but they will need to find a way to replace his goals and assists if they want to continue their recent good form.
Son will be hoping to return to action as soon as possible, but he will need to be careful not to rush back from injury. Tottenham will be hoping that Son can return to action sooner rather than later. They are also in a strong position to recover quickly. They've got a solid squad with a good mix of experience and youth, and they should be able to cope in Son's absence.
The End of the Road
The Son injury news has sent shockwaves through the footballing world. Spurs fans will be hoping that Son's injury is not serious and that he can recover quickly. But for now, the focus will be on the task at hand, and Tottenham will be hoping to get a result against Manchester United despite the absence of their captain.
