Son ruled out of League Cup tie against Man City

Tottenham Hotspur will be without captain Son Heung-min for their League Cup fourth-round clash with Manchester City on Wednesday.

Son returned from a hamstring injury to score against West Ham earlier this month but experienced “soreness” after Tottenham’s October 19 win and has missed recent matches against AZ Alkmaar and Crystal Palace.

Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou confirmed on Tuesday that while Son will miss the City game, he is expected back for Sunday’s Premier League match against Aston Villa. “Sonny, no. He’s almost fit, but we’ll likely aim for the weekend,” Postecoglou said. “We’re confident he’ll be right for the weekend.”

The injury list for Tottenham also includes Wilson Odobert, who has suffered a setback in training. “Wilson’s had a setback, and it looks serious. We’re waiting for more information,” Postecoglou noted. However, Djed Spence has resumed training.

In Son’s absence, 17-year-old Mikey Moore started in the recent 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace, but with Timo Werner and a fit-again Richarlison available, Moore may begin on the bench against City.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has indicated that his team is not prioritizing the Carabao Cup this season, but Postecoglou expects a strong performance from the visitors. “Clubs often rotate in the Carabao Cup, but you look at City’s record – they’re exceptional. They consistently deliver high performance, no matter the lineup or competition,” he said.

While Postecoglou acknowledged the difficulty of balancing fixtures, he dismissed the notion of prioritising certain matches. “I’d hate to think any supporter believes I’d try harder in one game than another. To suggest we’d focus more on tomorrow than the weekend would be an injustice,” he added.

Tottenham, who last claimed silverware in 2008, face the challenge of balancing fan expectations for both the League Cup and their league aspirations in this busy week.