"He’s ok, he felt dizzy because he suffered with his finger. It’s not a big injury," Xavi Hernandez said after Netherlands' 2-1 win over Serbia in Belgrade. Micky van de Ven was forced off late in the Netherlands vs Serbia match, after playing on with two fingers strapped up, and Tottenham now have a decision to make only after further checks.
Van de Ven's night in Belgrade
The injury scare came after Van de Ven had already completed 90 minutes and posted a 6.88 rating in the win. That is the main reason Spurs can breathe a little easier. The issue still needs assessment, but the picture is not the same as an obvious long-term setback.
Van de Ven has made five appearances across all competitions for Tottenham this season, and he has already banked 360 Premier League minutes. Given how short his season has been, even a minor problem has landed as a real concern for Spurs.
Tottenham's wider defensive worry
The context around the scare is not ideal. Tottenham are already without Pedro Porro because of a hamstring injury, and Jan Paul van Hecke left the Dutch camp early last week because of a foot issue sustained in their first match against Serbia.
Tottenham are bottom of the Premier League table with two points from their opening five matches, so they can ill afford more disruption at the back. Manchester United are 12th, which at least gives them an opponent with problems of their own, but Spurs will want Van de Ven available when the assessment is done.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
