Tottenham Hotspur saw their three-game winning streak come to an end following a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Leeds United, but beyond the result and the performance, there were five rather strange Spurs squad decisions and absences that caught our attention.

James Maddison was not fit enough to play a single minute

James Maddison marked his first appearance for Tottenham in 526 days with a stunning goal against Coventry, but his return took an unfortunate turn the following weekend. The Englishman limped off just five minutes into the second half against Chelsea after suffering a groin injury.

Roberto De Zerbi played down the severity of the problem and cleared Maddison to feature against Crystal Palace the following week. Understandably, no risks were taken, and he remained on the bench throughout.

The Italian made no mention of Maddison in his pre-match press conference ahead of Leeds, which suggested the midfielder would be ready to return.

Yet, once again, Maddison was named among the substitutes and never came on – even when Spurs desperately needed a goal in the closing stages, precisely the sort of situation where his creativity could have made a difference.

With a two-week international break ahead, hopefully Maddison can train regularly without any further problems and return to the pitch when Tottenham face Ipswich Town on November 21.

Destiny Udogie was not injured, so why was he left out?

The situation surrounding Destiny Udogie is very confusing.

The Italian last started for Tottenham in the 1-1 draw against Manchester United on October 10, when he picked up an injury that subsequently ruled him out of the games against Coventry and Chelsea.

De Zerbi revealed that Udogie had not trained with the group for two weeks after the United fixture, only rejoining his teammates a few days before the Crystal Palace clash. He finally returned to the matchday squad against Palace and played the final 13 minutes.

So, naturally, you would expect him to be involved against Leeds. Instead, Udogie was left out of the squad entirely, prompting speculation among supporters that he had suffered yet another setback.

Except Udogie himself confirmed on Snapchat that he was not injured. It is a strange one. Even if De Zerbi wanted to be cautious with his fitness, surely he could have taken the left-back to Elland Road and kept him on the bench?

Luca Gunter’s inclusion suggests Martin Dubravka could be injured

Luca Gunter was loaned to National League side Boreham Wood for the 2026/27 season, and the 21-year-old Tottenham academy graduate made an impressive start, helping the club race to the top of the table.

Rather unexpectedly, Gunter was recalled towards the end of last month, and he found himself on the bench against Leeds as Tottenham’s second-choice goalkeeper.

That spot had been warmed by Martin Dubravka in every Premier League game this season, but the experienced goalkeeper was nowhere to be seen in the matchday squad for the first time.

Our best guess is that Dubravka has picked up an injury. What makes the situation even stranger, however, is that De Zerbi made no mention of him when discussing injuries and team news before the game.

Mathys Tel’s injury leaves Tottenham without a single fit natural left winger

Mathys Tel’s injury could hardly have come at a worse time. The Frenchman had been enjoying an excellent run of form and was playing well against Leeds before Jayden Bogle stepped on his Achilles – somehow escaping without even a yellow card.

Not only did Tottenham lose one of their most in-form attackers during the game, but they also lost their only available natural left winger.

Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons are currently recovering from ACL injuries, Mykhailo Mudryk is struggling with fitness after nearly two years without playing, and Savio remains sidelined with a muscle problem.

The severity of Tel’s injury is not yet known, although Achilles problems are rarely pleasant. There is a fair possibility that he could need several weeks before returning to full fitness.

Unless one of Tottenham’s other wingers returns in the meantime, De Zerbi will have to get creative with his attacking options. Thankfully, the Italian has two weeks to work something out.

Lucas Bergvall’s continued absence is becoming a concern

Lucas Bergvall had apparently played through Tottenham’s draw against Man United last month carrying a knee injury, before he was eventually replaced in the 66th minute. The Swedish midfielder has not featured since.

What makes his absence concerning is the lack of information surrounding it. De Zerbi has repeatedly avoided providing a timeline for Bergvall’s return or even explaining the severity of the injury.

And there was another worrying development when the midfielder was left out of Sweden’s squad for their UEFA Nations League fixtures over the next two weeks.

That suggests Bergvall could still be some way off returning to action. Hopefully, De Zerbi can provide a clearer update on his condition soon.