Two Spurs defenders return as Porro misses United trip
Jan Paul van Hecke and Micky van de Ven are available for Tottenham’s trip to Manchester United, while Pedro Porro will miss the match with a hamstring injury. The update gives Roberto De Zerbi two central-defensive options back after the international break, but leaves him needing another choice on the right side of defence.
Two defenders return to contention
De Zerbi confirmed the pair’s availability in his pre-match press conference, according to the Cartilage Free Captain report published on Friday 9 October and a separate report from the Evening Standard. Tottenham’s next fixture comes after a three-week break.
Van Hecke had his foot stepped on while with the Netherlands, while Van de Ven injured his hand. Both returned to North London to recover, and are expected to feature at Old Trafford. Van Hecke’s earlier withdrawal from international duty had raised questions about his availability; the update on his return from the Netherlands squad has now been superseded by confirmation that he can play.
Porro’s hamstring problem came in Tottenham’s previous match and led to his withdrawal from Spain’s squad. He will not be available against United. De Zerbi indicated that the right-back should not be out for many games, but gave no firm return date. His hamstring injury therefore remains a short-term concern without a confirmed timeline.
Porro absence leaves a selection decision
Van Hecke and Van de Ven restore two options in the centre of defence, but Tottenham will still need a different selection on the right. No replacement was confirmed in the update, so naming one now would be guesswork rather than team news. Van de Ven and Porro had recently returned to the bench for the Charlton match, but their situations have since diverged: Van de Ven is available, while Porro is not.
Mykhailo Mudryk is also unavailable, according to the same reports. James Maddison is available, though De Zerbi suggested he may not be ready to start after missing several days of training. Dejan Kulusevski will travel with the squad to support his team-mates, rather than take a playing role.
Tottenham face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday 10 October, with kick-off listed as 5:30pm UK time. Van Hecke and Van de Ven are expected to be in contention; Porro will miss out, and his return date remains unconfirmed.
