Son free to play as red card rescinded
SON HEUNG- MIN landed in Belgrade last night to discover his three- match suspension for the challenge that led to Andre Gomes breaking his leg has been overturned.
Mauricio Pochettino is ready to throw the forward straight back into the thick of the action, in what will be an intimidating atmosphere tonight as Tottenham look to take a huge step towards the Champions League knockout stage.
The Football Association confirmed yesterday that Spurs’ appeal against Son’s red card had been upheld, meaning he will be available for this weekend’s Premier League clash against Sheffield United.
The South Korean was in tears at Goodison Park on Sunday after his accidental role in the dislocation and break of the Everton midfielder’s right ankle.
Indeed, there was some doubt over whether Son would board the flight to Serbia yesterday, Pochettino making a late decision on his inclusion after checking his state of mind in the morning. But Son has travelled and Pochettino insists he is ready to start against Red Star tonight.
‘Son is OK, he is with us. Sunday was mix of everything — the injury and the red card. It was an emotional moment for everyone,’ said the Argentine. ‘But he’s available to play and he is in a very good way. He is in good form.’
Pochettino also revealed he was sure the red card would be rescinded by the FA, saying: ‘It’s good for everyone but most importantly it is fair. I was confident (the appeal would be successful). There was a little bit of confusion at the time.’
Harry Kane is set to return tonight after missing Sunday’s draw on Merseyside with a virus, but Harry Winks and Serge Aurier were mysteriously left out of the travelling squad. Prolific striker
Kane is captaining Tottenham in Hugo Lloris’s absence, meaning he will lead how his team deal with any instances of racial abuse. Kane skippered England in Bulgaria last month when black players were subjected to racial taunts. England initiated the first step of UEFA’s three-stage protocol in Sofia that night and Kane has confirmed Spurs will do the same if his team- mates are targeted.
‘Hopefully it doesn’t happen and we will play a tough football match and get the win,’ said Kane. ‘If anything does happen, there will be a protocol in place like there was in Sofia and we follow that. I have heard from other players the atmosphere can be very hostile. We have to make sure we’re ready.’
Red Star boss Vladen Milojevic does not expect there to be any racially-motivated incidents.
‘My message to the fans is that they should fill the stadium and everybody should feel safe,’ he said. ‘I have no reason to fear any problems of a racial nature with our fans. We have a lot of players in our team from different continents. They have never had any problems. I don’t think we will have any problems tomorrow.
‘We will show we are true, good hosts. There may have been some remnants of things that our country went through in the 90s and maybe supporters gave their dissatisfaction of this. But this was not motivated by race. There is no reason to fear this. Supporters who come to the game will get to know a good country that is welcoming and proud.’ EVERTON midfielder Gomes has been discharged from hospital two days after suffering his horrific injury. The Portugal international had surgery on Monday on the fracture dislocation of his right ankle that he suffered during Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham, and will continue his rehabilitation under the care of Everton’s medical team.