Tottenham Hotspur will have to assess Cristian Romero and Richarlison ahead of Thursday’s Premier League trip to Brighton.
The duo were forced off during Spurs’ hard-fought 2-1 win over Everton with hamstring and back injuries respectively.
A third consecutive win ensured Tottenham will spend Christmas Day in the top four, but Romero and Richarlison have provided boss Ange Postecoglou with more fitness concerns.
On Romero, Postecoglou revealed: “He felt tiredness in his hamstring just before half-time, so we had to take him off.”
The prognosis on Richarlison was better after the forward continued his fine form with a fourth goal in three matches on Saturday.
Spurs will check on the South American duo on Sunday before the players return to training on Boxing Day after being given Christmas Day off.
“Yeah, Richy’s OK. He’s kind of had a sore back in training (on Friday),” Postecoglou added.
“He wasn’t 100 per cent, but he was keen to start. He got through the game, pleasing for him that he took his goal well and worked hard for us, but I kind of knew that at some point I’d have to take him off.
“I don’t think it’s anything serious.”
Richarlison could be a doubt for Spurs’ next game— (PA Wire)
Tottenham will be hopeful Richarlison is fine, especially with top goalscorer Son Heung-min set to be away on international duty during January.
Son grabbed his 11th goal of the campaign in the Everton win, which betters his league tally from the 2022-23 season when he struggled with a sports hernia, which was only operated on in May.
Richarlison underwent the same procedure last month and has been backed to keep flourishing now he has solved the problem.
Spurs captain Son told PLP: “Richarlison went through similar to what I had last season.
“He is always hungry for goals and for work. He is playing pain-free and looks totally different as a player, so I’m very happy for him.
“If he carries on like this, he can be one of the greatest strikers in the Premier League.”
Postecoglou’s side could count themselves fortunate to claim all three points after Everton provided a tough test.
While Spurs went 2-0 up inside 18 minutes, Sean Dyche’s team created a number of chances with home goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario denying Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Jack Harrison, James Garner and Arnaut Danjuma.
Everton also had the ball in the net in the 51st minute through Calvert-Lewin, but referee Stuart Attwell ruled out the effort after VAR told him to review the incident, with Andre Gomes adjudged to have fouled Emerson Royal in the build-up.
Toffees defender Jarrad Branthwaite told the official club website: “It was never a foul in my eyes.
“They put it on the big screen, and I think everyone sees. Once (the referee) goes over to the monitor, he’s going to give it. It’s never a foul and it just kills the game. It should be a clear goal, for me.
“He hasn’t won the ball, but he hasn’t touched the man, and he just falls over. It’s one of those things and we can’t do anything about it now.”
