Darren Bent believes that Tottenham’s season was derailed by the long-term injuries to James Maddison and Micky van de Ven in November, which halted their momentum and prevented them from achieving a top-four finish.
Tottenham had started the season impressively, sitting top of the table in November, with some fans even dreaming of a potential title challenge.
However, the London derby against Chelsea proved to be a turning point, as they lost both Maddison and Van de Ven to injuries, while Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie received red cards.
The nine-man Tottenham side suffered a 4-1 defeat, which stopped their momentum and made it difficult for them to recover.
Even when Maddison and Van de Ven returned to action three months later, Spurs struggled to regain their rhythm and confidence, eventually missing out on Champions League qualification by just two points.
Bent believes that if Tottenham had kept their key players fit, they would have finished in the top four.
Injuries are an unfortunate part of football, and Tottenham’s intense playing style under Ange Postecoglou increases the risk of muscle injuries.
To mitigate this, the club needs a large squad with quality backups in each position, especially with their return to European competition next season.
Bent expressed his opinion while speaking with Maddison on talkSPORT, saying, “Injuries came at the wrong time for you lot. You were flying at the start of the season, and then you and Van de Ven got injured.
You had your most effective players out at the same time, which probably derailed your season. If you keep your players fit, you probably get Champions League qualification.”