Tottenham Hotspur team news: Injury, suspension list vs. Aston Villa

Seeking to avoid a third successive defeat in the Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur return from the international break with a home clash against Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon.

Ange Postecoglou's team entered the final pause of the calendar year on the back of consecutive losses to Chelsea and Wolverhampton Wanderers, succumbing to injury-time strikes from Pablo Sarabia and Mario Lemina against the latter in a 2-1 defeat.

The Lilywhites have fallen slightly adrift of their title rivals as a result, currently sitting fourth in the table and two points worse off than reigning champions Manchester City, while Liverpool and Arsenal are a point clear of this weekend's hosts.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up Tottenham's latest injury and suspension news ahead of their clash with the Lions, who are only one place and one point below Postecoglou's troops in the rankings after 12 games.

Pape Sarr

Status: Major doubt Type of issue: Unspecified Possible return date: November 26 (vs. Aston Villa)

Postecoglou revealed on Friday afternoon that Pape Sarr had returned from the international break with an unspecified injury, and the Senegalese midfielder is considered a major doubt for the weekend's fixture.

Ashley Phillips

Status: Out Type of issue: Ankle Possible return date: December 28 (vs. Brighton & Hove Albion)

Ashley Phillips was Tottenham's second casualty of the international break with an ankle injury, and the England Under-19 international will be sidelined for around a month.

Richarlison

Status: Out Type of issue: Groin Possible return date: December 15 (vs. Nottingham Forest)

Prior to the international break, Richarlison revealed that he would be going under the knife to treat a pelvic problem that had been plaguing him for months, but the Brazilian attacker is on course to return before Christmas.

Micky van de Ven

Status: Out Type of issue: Hamstring Possible return date: Unknown

Summer signing Micky van de Ven - who had seamlessly slotted into the Tottenham backline - sustained a severe hamstring issue in Spurs' 4-1 loss to Chelsea earlier this month and will not be seen on the pitch again until 2024.

James Maddison

Status: Out Type of injury: Ankle Possible return date: Unknown

Similarly, James Maddison also had to come off in first-half injury time against the Blues owing to an ankle injury, which has also proven to be more serious than first feared, and the playmaker will miss the remainder of the calendar year too.

Ivan Perisic

Status: Out Type of injury: Knee Possible return date: Unknown

The versatile Ivan Perisic is in the same boat as he recuperates from a knee operation, but while Van de Ven and Maddison are targeting returns in January, Perisic - who is out of contract in the summer - could very well miss the remainder of the campaign.

Manor Solomon

Status: Out Type of injury: Knee Possible return date: Unknown

Following a training-ground injury, Manor Solomon also had to undergo an operation on his knee, and the Israeli attacker will spend another couple of months recuperating at the very least.

Ryan Sessegnon

Status: Out Type of injury: Hamstring Possible return date: Unknown

Ryan Sessegnon is yet to make an appearance this season due to a hamstring procedure, and while Postecoglou has refused to put a timeframe on his comeback, he has repeatedly insisted that the winger is a long-term absentee over the past few weeks.

Alfie Whiteman

Status: Out Type of injury: Ankle Possible return date: Unknown

Fringe goalkeeper Alfie Whiteman completes Spurs' list of surgical victims as he works his way back from an ankle issue, and it is not clear when the Englishman might be fit enough to return to the squad.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR'S SUSPENSION LIST

Cristian Romero

Status: Out Possible return date: December 7 (vs. West Ham United)

Cristian Romero will serve the second of a three-game domestic ban this weekend, having been given a straight red card for a studs-up challenge on Enzo Fernandez in his side's defeat to Chelsea.

Yves Bissouma

Status: Out Possible return date: December 3 (vs. Manchester City)

Yves Bissouma was booked for the fifth time in the Premier League this season during the loss to Wolves two weekends ago, and the Mali midfielder joins Romero on the naughty step for one game.