'He hurt his ankle' - Tottenham's injury crisis grows as Ange Postecoglou confirms Radu Dragusin setback during dire Nottingham Forest defeat, as Djed Spence is sent off

Tottenham's Boxing Day woes deepened as they slumped to a narrow 1-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest, marking their fourth loss in five Premier League outings. Postecoglou now faces a defensive selection headache, with injuries and suspensions further depleting an already weakened squad.

Dragusin’s withdrawal late in the game added another name to Spurs’ growing injury list. The Romanian defender, who has been a key figure in Tottenham’s backline, was forced off after suffering an ankle injury. In the closing moments of the match, he was replaced by midfielder Yves Bissouma, who partnered 17-year-old Archie Gray in an emergency central defensive pairing.

Speaking after the game, Postecoglou provided an update on Dragusin’s condition.

“He was a bit sore," he told reporters. "He hurt his ankle and said he couldn’t continue, so we'll just have to wait and see.”

With Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Ben Davies already sidelined, Tottenham’s backline is stretched to its limits. Adding to their misery was the red card shown to Spence during his return to the City Ground. His dismissal rules him out of Sunday’s clash against Wolves, further compounding Postecoglou’s defensive crisis. Postecoglou now faces the daunting task of reshuffling his squad to cope with the defensive absences. Youngsters like Gray may find themselves thrust into starting roles, while experienced players like Bissouma could be deployed out of position to fill gaps.