Tottenham facing fresh defensive crisis as Ben Davies joins Timo Werner on sidelines

Spurs head to Stamford Bridge on Thursday night

Tottenham are facing a left-back crisis after Ben Davies was ruled out for the rest of the season with a calf injury.

Ange Postecoglou is already without Destony Udogie due to a muscle injury and losing Davies is a major blow to Spurs in their bid overhaul Aston Villa in the race for fourth.

Davies deputised for Udogie in Sunday’s 3-2 defeat to Arsenal but sustained an injury in that game.

Right-footed Emerson Royal is expected to play at left-back against Chelsea, although centre-half Micky van de Ven has previously played there on occasion.

The injury to Davies leaves Postecoglou with a headache ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Stamford Bridge, when Spurs need to bounce back after their north London derby loss.

The Spurs boss said he would "find a solution" at left-back.

Timo Werner has been ruled out of a return to Chelsea tomorrow night with a hamstring injury and will also miss the rest of the season.

Werner was forced off in the first half against Arsenal and head coach Ange Postecoglou said this morning: "Not good [injury news], we had a couple of issues from the game. Timo got a hamstring injury. There's two-and-a-half weeks left so he will miss the rest of the season and Ben Davies got a calf injury from the [Arsenal] game and he'll miss the rest of the season as well.”

Werner has had a positive impact since joining Spurs, scoring two goals and providing three assists in 13 Premier League appearances, and his injury is another blow.

Postecoglou, who has come in for criticism since the Arsenal defeat, said he "couldn't care less" about the battle for the top-four and insisted he only cares about progress on the pitch.

Blow: Davies will miss the rest of the season for Spurs
Getty Images

Asked if he was still convinced his side is moving forward, he said: "Absolutely, yeah.

“Absolutely. Clearly. Clearly. As clear as you want it to be. 20-20. Definitely. 100 per cent. Because of what I see. Playing your football, measuring ourselves against the best. The players have real belief in what we're doing. That's all I need to see.”

Chelsea derailed Spurs' season in the reverse fixture in November, winning 4-1 in Postecoglou's first Premier League defeat.

Asked if his players were out for revenge tomorrow, Postecoglou said: "I don't think so. Revenge would mean you need other stimulation than just winning a game of football. Every week that's what you've got to do.

"You understand the meaning of games for the club and supporters. But as footballers and a manager you shouldn't need extra motivation for a game other than to win it."

Postecoglou could hand Richarlison a first start since mid-February against Chelsea after the Brazilian came off the bench against Arsenal, while Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski are also pushing to join captain Heung-min Son in the front four.

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