Tottenham Hotspur defender Destiny Udogie will not be available for selection this weekend when Spurs host Everton on Saturday, as Premier League injuries and suspensions continue to pile up ahead of the festive period.
Left-back Udogie picked up his fifth booking of the season in the first half of Spurs' 2-0 win against Nottingham Forest last weekend, and though he managed to escape a second yellow, he must now serve a suspension for accumulating too many bookings.
The Italian international's absence could see Ange Postecoglou pick Emerson Royal at left-back, with Ben Davies still filling in centrally. The Australian boss opted for this selection when Udogie was last suspended, against Wolves in November.
When will Tottenham Hotspur star Destiny Udogie be available for selection?
By accumulating five yellow cards in the Premier League before the halfway stage in the season, Udogie will be suspended for only one game.
After this, he will again be available for selection, meaning Postecoglou should be able to call upon the full-back for the trip to Brighton on December 28.
With the Spurs squad currently depleted, his return will no doubt be welcomed with a starting spot at the Amex Stadium.
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"It's an issue but it's not so much discipline," Postecoglou said after playing Nottingham Forest.
With Udogie suspended for the second time this season, the Tottenham boss doesn't necessarily see it as too much of an issue.
"The guys are having to adapt to learn to play our football without crossing a line but I loved the commitment they showed."
Udogie's availability issues will be bad news for 9.6 per cent Fantasy Premier League players who have selected the 21-year-old in their squad. The FPL official website shows him to be Spurs' eight-highest points scorer this term, with 45 so far.
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