Both players missed training on Monday, sparking concern among supporters, but Frank confirmed they could still feature at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. "Djed and Mo got a knock. They could and should be available for tomorrow," Frank told reporters. "We'll assess them again before the game."

Kudus, who joined Spurs in the summer from West Ham for 55-million pounds, has been one of the club's standout performers this season. Both he and Spence were initially due to attend the pre-match press conference alongside Frank before being replaced by goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario. The Ghanaian's availability remains in doubt, but Frank has refused to rule him out.

Tottenham are in need of a lift after a disappointing 1-0 defeat at home to Chelsea at the weekend, with Joao Pedro's first-half strike sealing the Blues' fifth straight win over their London rivals and exposing the toll of their growing injury crisis. Destiny Udogie made his return from injury in that match and is expected to start again at left-back, while Wilson Odobert and Brennan Johnson are pushing to start should Kudus fail to recover.

Young midfielder Lucas Bergvall has been ruled out after suffering a concussion against Chelsea, with Frank praising his medical team's swift response. "Lucas got a concussion (against Chelsea), which was probably pretty obvious from the footage," he said.

"Big praise to the medical team, because it's a tricky situation to be in when it's two minutes into a game and everything is on it. So, well done to them because it's the player's health that's the most important thing."

Bergvall, who was replaced by Xavi Simons during the match, must sit out a minimum of 12 days under concussion protocols and will not return before the November international break.

Bergvall's absence is likely to open the door for Simons to feature in midfield. However, Tottenham's list of absentees remains extensive, with James Maddison (ACL, return summer 2026), Dejan Kulusevski (patella surgery, December), Ben Davies (hamstring, late November), Kota Takai (quad, November-December), Yves Bissouma (ankle ligament post-surgery, unknown) and Dominic Solanke (ankle post-surgery, late November-early December) all long-term casualties.

Archie Gray is expected to miss until December with a calf problem, while Radu Dragusin (ACL, November 23) and summer signing Mathys Tel are both ineligible for the Champions League league phase.

Despite being without up to 12 players, Frank has refused to use the injury situation as an excuse. The Danish coach is still in the early stages of implementing his ideas following his appointment in June, and Spurs' depth has so far allowed them to remain competitive.

"We have a strong squad," Frank said. "Of course, we'd prefer to have everyone fit, but it's part of football. The focus is always on finding solutions and being ready for the next challenge."

Tottenham will be hoping for positive news on Kudus and Spence before kick-off, as they look to reignite their European campaign with a much-needed home victory.

Nedbank Cup Round of 32 draw