Ben Davies was forced off on a stretcher during the first half of Tottenham Hotspur’s clash with West Ham after suffering what appeared to be a left-leg injury following a challenge with Jarrod Bowen.
The 32-year-old couldn’t continue and was substituted by Djed Spence, with the severity of the injury still unknown. Head coach Thomas Frank is expected to provide an update after the match.
Davies’ setback comes shortly after his return from a lengthy spell on the sidelines. With his Spurs contract due to expire at the end of the season, the defender had only recently regained fitness after a hamstring injury picked up in October that caused him to miss key games against Aston Villa, Everton, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal.
He rejoined the matchday squad in late November, remaining an unused substitute in the 2-1 defeat to Fulham before making his first appearance of the season in the Champions League, coming on late in a convincing 3-0 win over Slavia Praha. He then featured again from the bench in a 3-0 Premier League loss to Nottingham Forest.
A few weeks later, Davies made his first start of the campaign — and just his second appearance overall — in a 1-1 draw with Sunderland, where he found the net after 30 minutes before Brian Brobbey grabbed a late equaliser. That display earned him another start, this time at left-back, in Tottenham’s 3-2 FA Cup third-round defeat to Aston Villa.
That outing could potentially be Davies’ final appearance for Spurs under Frank, whose own position remains under pressure. Speaking ahead of the West Ham match, the Danish coach explained his mindset amid the scrutiny.
“It’s about sending the players out with belief, courage and a positive mindset,” Frank said. “We know it’s a big London derby, but the focus for me is on us.
“It’s about energy and optimism — building on the first half against Sunderland and the second half against Villa. If we do that, we’ll put in a strong performance and give ourselves a real chance.”
On the speculation surrounding his job, Frank added: “I concentrate on what I can control. There’s plenty of noise, I’m aware of that, but we’re focusing on what’s working.
“We need to stay composed, keep making good decisions and move forward. Football is unpredictable, but if we continue to do the right things and trust the process, especially as we have in recent games, things will swing back our way.”
