Year over and ouch for Toby
TOBY Alderweireld is out until the new year after what was initially perceived as a minor problem before the international break turned out to be a serious hamstring injury.
The speed with which Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino withdrew a number of players was questioned, particularly with regard to the England trio of Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Harry Winks, who all trained yesterday and are expected to face Arsenal tomorrow, albeit in Kane’s case following a fitness test.
But Alderweireld’s problem highlights the need for caution.
“Toby is out, we need to assess him,” said Pochettino. “We expect longer than we had previously thought when the problem happened. Maybe after Christmas, that is the expectation.
“It will be longer. The injury is in his hamstring. With this type of injury we must be cautious and it is a process of time we need to wait.”
Arsenal are boosted by the potential return of Shkodran Mustafi and Danny Welbeck. Both will have final fitness checks today ahead of tomorrow’s kick-off.
Yesterday, however, Arsene Wenger was more concerned about mental fitness, particularly that which lands silverware.
Pochettino is yet to win a trophy and Wenger still remembers how he won his first, the Ligue 1 title with Monaco in 1988. “By keeping your nerves and getting the players to focus on what is important,” he said. 12.30pm