Ben Davies dealt Tottenham a significant injury setback after he was forced off on a stretcher during their clash with West Ham.

Ben Davies suffered a worrying setback for Tottenham Hotspur after being stretchered off in the first half of their London derby against West Ham. The defender appeared to pick up a left-leg injury following a challenge with Jarrod Bowen and was unable to continue.

The 32-year-old was replaced by Djed Spence, with the full extent of the injury yet to be determined. Head coach Thomas Frank is expected to clarify Davies’ condition in his post-match comments.

The injury comes at a particularly frustrating time for Davies, who had only recently returned from a prolonged spell on the sidelines. With his Spurs contract set to expire at the end of the season, the Welsh international had just regained fitness after suffering a hamstring problem in October that ruled him out of several high-profile fixtures, including matches against Aston Villa, Everton, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal.

Davies made his way back into the squad towards the end of November, initially as an unused substitute in the 2-1 defeat to Fulham. He then made his first appearance of the season in the Champions League, coming off the bench late in a dominant 3-0 victory over Slavia Praha, before featuring again as a substitute in a heavy 3-0 Premier League loss to Nottingham Forest.

Several weeks later, he earned his first start of the campaign — only his second outing overall — in a 1-1 draw with Sunderland. Davies marked the occasion by opening the scoring after half an hour, though Brian Brobbey’s late equaliser denied Spurs all three points. That performance was enough to secure him another start at left-back in Tottenham’s dramatic 3-2 FA Cup third-round defeat to Aston Villa.

That match could yet prove to be Davies’ final appearance under Frank, whose own future remains uncertain amid mounting pressure. Speaking before the West Ham clash, the Danish coach addressed the scrutiny surrounding the club.

“It’s about giving the players belief, bravery and a positive mentality,” Frank said. “We know it’s a big London derby, but my focus is on what we do.”

He added: “It’s about energy and optimism — taking the positives from the first half against Sunderland and the second half against Villa. If we do that, we’ll perform well and give ourselves a real opportunity.”

On speculation over his position, Frank continued: “I focus on what I can control. There’s a lot of noise, and I’m aware of it, but we’re concentrating on what’s going right.

“We have to stay calm, keep making good decisions and keep moving forward. Football can change quickly, and if we keep doing the right things and trust the process — as we have recently — the momentum will turn.”