Tottenham Hotspur have already lost two key cogs for the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final with Liverpool next month.
Ange Postecoglou memorably claimed three months ago that he always wins things in his second year in charge of a club, and the Australian's statement could very well come true at Tottenham after Thursday's extraordinary events.
The Lilywhites bested Manchester United 4-3 in a spectacular quarter-final tie to progress to the final four, despite goalkeeper Fraser Forster gifting the Red Devils two goals with a pair of calamitous mistakes.
Still pursuing their first major trophy since prevailing 2-1 over Chelsea in the final of the 2007-08 EFL Cup, Spurs must navigate their way past Liverpool if they are to meet either Arsenal or Newcastle United in the Wembley showpiece on March 16.
Postecoglou's men will play at home in first leg on the week commencing January 6, before travelling to Anfield for the return fixture on February 3, but Postecoglou will not have two midfielders at his disposal for the opening battle.
James Maddison, Pape Sarr to miss semi-final first leg
© Imago
James Maddison and Pape Sarr both picked up their second yellow cards of the tournament in the win over Man United, meaning that neither man will be able to take part in the first leg with the Reds.
In the EFL Cup, just two bookings will incur a one-match suspension, and only yellow cards that have not resulted in a ban are not carried forward to the semi-final stage.
However, Postecoglou will have Rodrigo Bentancur back from his seven-game suspension by the time the first leg rolls around, and the Uruguayan would be a like-for-like swap for Sarr in the middle.
Meanwhile, Lucas Bergvall and Dejan Kulusevski could operate in the most advanced midfield position instead of Maddison, who will be eligible to return for the second leg at Anfield alongside Sarr.
Spurs will also hope to recover the injured Richarlison, Cristian Romero, Ben Davies and Micky van de Ven by the time the semi-finals get underway, but first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is not expected back from his ankle fracture until the middle of March.
Are any other players suspended for the semi-finals?
© Imago
No Arsenal or Liverpool players picked up suspension-inducing yellow cards in the quarter-finals, but the same cannot be said of Newcastle, who will also be deprived of two integral men at the Emirates for their first leg with the Gunners.
Ever-present midfield fulcrum Bruno Guimaraes and Fabian Schar are both banned for the trip to North London, a major boost to Arsenal's prospects of reaching their first EFL Cup final under Mikel Arteta.
Lloyd Kelly is the most likely candidate to step in for Schar if neither Jamaal Lascelles nor Sven Botman are back from knee injuries by the beginning of January, while ex-Gunner Joe Willock or Lewis Miley could fill the Guimaraes void in midfield.
As all other yellow cards are wiped at the completion of the quarter-final stage, players will only be suspended for the final if they are sent off in any domestic competition before the showpiece and their competition-wide ban includes the Wembley contest.
Ben Knapton
