Tottenham defender Ben Davies to undergo ankle surgery after West Ham blow

The 32-year-old Wales international was stretchered off after receiving oxygen, and the injury now casts doubt over his participation in Wales' upcoming World Cup play-off semi-final against Bosnia and Herzegovina on 26 March.

Spurs issued a statement on Monday, saying: "We can confirm that Ben Davies will undergo surgery today for a fracture of his left ankle. Following the surgery, Ben will commence his rehabilitation with our medical staff. We're all behind you, Ben."

Davies, who captained Wales in Aaron Ramsey's absence and earned his 100th international cap against Belgium in October, faces a potentially lengthy lay-off. His absence is a significant blow to Wales ahead of their home semi-final, with the winner set to face Northern Ireland or Italy in the March final.

For Tottenham, the setback compounds a difficult period. The defeat to West Ham left Spurs 14th in the Premier League, having won just two of their 11 home games this season. The result continued a poor run of form, with no wins in their last four league matches. Fans vented their frustration at the full-time whistle, chanting against manager Thomas Frank, who was appointed in June following Ange Postecoglou's departure.

Frank acknowledged the supporters' anger but defended his players' effort: "It's not a nice feeling, but I understand the frustration. We are losing to a big London rival, there is nothing worse. We couldn't win at home, which we worked very hard to try to do that. Hopefully they can see the effort from the boys, they are working very hard."

The match highlighted issues in Spurs' defensive game, particularly in set-piece situations, which Frank admitted need improvement. Despite the mounting pressure, the board has maintained their support for the former Brentford boss.

Tottenham now face a congested schedule, with Champions League action against Borussia Dortmund looming, while simultaneously managing an injury-hit squad. For Davies, the focus will be on recovery and getting back to full fitness for both club and country.

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