Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has been ruled out for up to 10 weeks with ankle ligament damage.
The 26-year-old sustained the injury following a heavy challenge from Matty Cash inside half-an-hour in Sunday's defeat to Aston Villa.
It was Bentancur's first start in a white shirt since February, when the Spurs man tore ligaments in his knee, ruling him out for the rest of the 2022-23 season.
However, the Uruguayan would not return until late October, where he was a late substitute in Spurs' win over Crystal Palace.
Two more substitute appearances followed before Bentancur flew off to represent Uruguay in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying last week.
Injuries and suspensions in the Tottenham ranks led manager Ange Postecoglou to hand Bentancur his first start in nine months, but it lasted merely 30 minutes before he was forced off.
Postecoglou was displeased with the challenge from Cash, and revealed how much of a blow it was to lose the player at that stage of the game.
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"It wasn't a great tackle. I thought he started the game so well and I think it was the reason we got a real good foothold on the game. He's such a creative player. It's the last thing we needed. Another injury, so [I am] disappointed to lose him." Postecoglou said post-match.
Yves Bissouma was suspended and Pape Matar Sarr failed a late fitness test, meaning that Spurs' midfield options were already stretched, and this injury only adds to that.
Postecoglou has already been dealt multiple injury blows in the past few weeks, and that has contributed to a three-match losing run.
Micky van de Ven and James Maddison both picked up year-ending injuries in the defeat to Chelsea, and 2-1 losses to Wolverhampton Wanderers and Villa have since followed.
Those disappointing results have seen Spurs slip from first to fifth in the space of three games, with Postecoglou's side now four points adrift of North London rivals Arsenal.
The manager has remained positive despite their current plight though, keeping faith in what they have been doing so far this season.
"It is just the situation we're in at the moment, but we'll get through it, it might take a little while, but we'll get through it and as long as we show the same intent and play the football we did today, I've got no doubt when we come out the other side, we'll be a very good football team." Postecoglou added.
While Bissouma will return, and Sarr could get over injury in time for the clash against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, Spurs will need a huge performance to avoid slipping further adrift this weekend.
Andrew Delaney
