Thomas Frank shares Micky van de Ven injury update ahead of Man City clash
Tottenham welcome Manchester City to north London on Sunday, and Thomas Frank has delivered the latest update on Micky van de Ven’s fitness ahead of the Premier League showdown.
The Dutch centre-back sat out Wednesday’s Champions League victory over Frankfurt with what Frank described as a “minor” injury. His absence did not hinder Spurs, who secured a 2–0 win in Germany to book their place in the round of 16.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Frank confirmed that Van de Ven remains a doubt for the visit of Pep Guardiola’s side, describing the defender’s availability as “touch and go”.
“Micky is a minor one, it will be touch and go for Sunday,” Frank said. “We’re hoping — he was on the pitch yesterday and today — so we’re hopeful, but it’s touch and go.”
Cristian Romero and Kevin Danso partnered at centre-back against Frankfurt and could be called upon again if Van de Ven is not deemed fit in time. However, Spurs will definitely be without Pedro Porro, Richarlison, Lucas Bergvall, Ben Davies, Mohammed Kudus, Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur and James Maddison.
Tottenham head into the weekend sitting 14th in the Premier League, with Frank under pressure to deliver a much-needed home victory. Manchester City, meanwhile, are chasing Arsenal at the top of the table, with the Gunners potentially moving seven points clear before kick-off following their Saturday fixture against Leeds United.
Reflecting on Spurs’ campaign, Frank acknowledged the frustrations of the season but stressed the importance of perspective and persistence.
“I’m very aware that you always hope for more,” he said. “Small things in football can shift momentum, and sometimes they don’t go your way. This is a transitional season where we still need to be ambitious and competitive in every competition.
“I believe we should be higher in the table, but it’s also fair to say that fine margins have cost us points. With a bit more luck, we could easily have six more points and be having a very different conversation. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened, so we need to keep going.”
