Tottenham gains advantage from Romero's comeback ahead of Chelsea match

Thomas Frank states he will not gamble with Cristian Romero's health as the Tottenham captain gears up to play against Chelsea on Saturday.

Romero has been sidelined for Tottenham since early October because of an adductor problem, but Frank plans to include the Argentine in the lineup for Chelsea's trip to north London.

The defender also came back for the same matchup last December, yet ended up with another injury that kept him out for three months.

Frank feels assured that Romero is completely prepared to play, though he will accept responsibility if the 27-year-old faces another setback.

"The good update is that Romero, Destiny (Udogie) and Wilson (Odobert) can all be picked for Saturday," Frank said to journalists on Friday.

"I am fully conscious of making the optimal choices. Naturally, I will receive plenty of details from the medical team and performance experts, but ultimately it falls to me.

"If a player gets injured, the fault is mine. It does not lie with the medical team or performance staff, it is always me.

"I make the calls, gather all the data, and then decide on a tough option, a bolder one, or a simpler one, that is how it works.

"If Romero had been fit, he would have played on Wednesday against Newcastle, but now he is set to feature and we will see his condition."

Chelsea has triumphed in the previous four encounters with their rivals Tottenham, which includes two standout games in N17 during Frank's predecessor Ange Postecoglou's tenure.

Postecoglou notoriously stuck with a high defensive line even when reduced to nine players for much of a 2023 game that finished 4-1 in defeat.

"It was thrilling and we are in the business of entertainment, right? I recall the first one, was it with nine men and 4-1? Yes, I remember it. That was wild, but it is history now," said Frank, with his team sitting third in the Premier League at present.

"Certain matches we play in become memorable for some reason, and I hope tomorrow's is one that sticks in minds with us victorious.

"It is a London derby pitting two major rivals, loaded with stakes against a strong Chelsea outfit. Under the lights, it promises to be an exceptional contest."