Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou is facing what he has described as the worst injury crisis in his career.
Postecoglou heads into Sunday’s Premier League trip to Southampton without key defenders in Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, along with first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.
Ben Davies, Richarlison, Wilson Odobert and Mikey Moore are also missing, depriving the under-fire Spurs boss of a wealth of options and experience.
With that in mind, Postecoglou could do without any further suspensions.
Rodrigo Bentancur continues to his serve his seven-game domestic ban set following a racist remark made about captain Heung-min Son, while Yves Bissouma is suspended for the Saints game.
Any player who is shown five yellow cards before the tally is wiped in January faces a one-match suspension and Spurs have a number of key players approaching that mark.
Key man: Dejan Kulusevski
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Which Tottenham players are close to a suspension?
While it remains to be seen if Van De Ven features before January after a recent injury setback, the Dutchman is just one booking away from a suspension if he can return before the turn of the year.
Midfielders Pape Matar Sarr and Dejan Kulusevski, meanwhile, are on three each. The midfield duo must walk something of a tightrope over the frantic festive fixture period as a result.
Four yellow cards: Micky van de Ven
Three yellow cards: Pape Matar Sarr, Dejan Kulusevski
