The Spurs academy star is in the PL starting line-up after a defensive injury crisis

Crisis is a word thrown around a lot in football, but there is no doubt that Tottenham Hotspur are in full-on emergency mode as relegation from the Premier League looms large.

Time is running out for interim manager Igor Tudor to shake up Spurs’ struggling stars to retain their Premier League status. Tottenham have lost five top-flight games in a row, while Tudor have lost each of their first four games in Thomas Frank’s old seat.

It’s fair to say that of all the opportunities left for London to turn things around, their biggest moment won’t come this weekend, with a trip to Anfield to face Liverpool on the cards.

Arne Slot’s side failed to defend the title, but the extent of Spurs’ injury problem has created a truly alarming situation.

An injury nightmare for Spurs

Micky van de Ven is suspended this time after receiving a red card against Crystal Palace last week. That defeat was exacerbated by the expected absence of Cristian Romero, who was sidelined with Joao Palhinha due to conflict regulations; the fiery pair accidentally clashed heads during the week’s defeat to Atletico Madrid.

These absences only scratch the surface of a dangerous situation threatening to consume the club, with Yves Bissouma out with a hamstring injury and Conor Gallagher unlikely to make the cut after contracting flu.

Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison remain long-term residents of the treatment room.

Perhaps ENIC Group director and sporting director Johan Lange are just biding their time ahead of next week, when Sunday’s game is considered an impossibility to return to winning ways.

It does not seem likely that Tudor will see out his short-term contract at N17, but on Sunday, he could help restore the confidence that has created the core of the club’s vulnerable position.

He can do this by giving a talented young defender their first senior start.

Academy talent in Spurs’ starting line-up

Tottenham need to come together in the final few months of the season, and fans can at least take solace in the fact that Romero and Van de Ven will be free to link up in central defense again after the upcoming Premier League fixture.

However, in their absence, Tudor may want to hand 17-year-old defender Jun’ai Byfield his first professional start, with the academy talent having broken into first-team contention in the past few months and now ready to take the next step forward.

While this weekend feels like the worst time for him to make his top-flight debut, it would be a significant show of faith in a player whose talent has already seen him make his senior debut, including his Premier League debut against Manchester City last month.

Physical and smooth on the ball, Byfield has all the attributes to be a top midfielder in the Premier League. His intensity and determination to win could bring the energy and enthusiasm the club has been looking for during the season, and in that regard, he could be a better player at Anfield than someone like Radu Dragusin, who has struggled since returning from injury in late December.

The fact that Byfield has spoken of his desire to lead Tottenham’s senior team one day is a testament to his character and ability on the big stage, and with someone like Dragusin looking at the merits of a summer sale, perhaps offloading him from Liverpool would give him confidence and lift the mood of the crowd.

Of course, we don’t want a repeat of the Antonin Kinsky situation, but desperate times call for desperate measures, and Byfield has what it takes to excel.

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