Tottenham fear the worst as Alli adds to growing injury list
TOTTENHAM’S injury crisis deepened ahead of the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at Chelsea on Thursday after Dele Alli suffered a hamstring injury at Fulham. Alli pulled up by the touchline clutching the back of his left leg and faces tests today, amid fears he is set for an extended absence. Harry Kane is already out with ankle ligament damage while Son Heung-min is away on international duty with South Korea at the Asia Cup. The Alli setback throws into peril Tottenham’s aspirations in all four competitions. Manager Mauricio Pochettino said: ‘We need to assess him but it is a hamstring and we need to be careful. It does not look great. When he put his hand on his hamstring, it is a situation where you feel the pull. It is not great to see that.’ Tottenham fear that Kane will be out until March after he was injured during last week’s 1-0 defeat by Manchester United. Kane is attempting to make a return ahead of schedule but the worst-case scenario would see the England captain miss the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final, both legs of Tottenham’s Champions League tie against Borussia Dortmund, as well as the next round of the FA Cup and Premier League fixtures against Chelsea and Arsenal. Pochettino insisted other players such as Lucas Moura will step up, although Moussa Sissoko also remains a doubt. ‘It is not a worry,’ Pochettino insisted. ‘It is a massive opportunity for a different player to play. ‘We go to Chelsea expecting to win and it is important — the belief we have to try to win the game. Lucas Moura is ready to help the team from the bench or maybe from the beginning.’ Fulham boss Claudio Ranieri admitted he was exasperated by his side’s inability to protect a point after they had gone into the final minute of added time on level terms, having been ahead through a Fernando Llorente own goal. That was cancelled out by Alli before Harry Winks grabbed a 93rd-minute winner. Fulham remain seven points from safety and Ranieri said: ‘It’s unbelievable. We gave a gift in the first goal. In the second, it’s unbelievable to explain. We had a free-kick. Why do we need to put the ball in the box? ‘We lack experience. We could have taken it to the corner to lose the next 10 seconds. Calm, stay calm, keep possession. But we are alive and continue to fight.’