STAR SITS IT OUT

MAURICIO POCHETTINO has told Toby Alderweireld to get used to sitting and suffering on the bench.

The Tottenham centre-back has been warned by Belgium boss Roberto Martinez his World Cup place is at risk unless he gets some regular football before the summer. But Spurs boss Pochettino hit back and said: “I am not going to change the system because Toby needs games for the World Cup.” The 29-year-old has not started a Premier League match since the 1-0 defeat at Manchester United on October 28. First he was sidelined by a serious knee injury and in the last three months a back spasm, illness and groin and hamstring problems have been blamed for his lack of action.

He last featured for Spurs in the 2-2 FA Cup draw at Rochdale nearly six weeks ago. Alderweireld played 90 minutes for Belgium in their 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia on Tuesday but is set to be back on the bench at Stamford Bridge tomorrow for Tottenham’s crunch clash with top-four rivals Chelsea. And Pochettino could offer no real hope of a regular place to the defender, who is in the middle of a contract dispute, with his current one up at the end of next season. The Spurs boss added: “I need to pick two centre-backs and if you are happy you keep them, and he needs to wait. “If I am Belgium manager, England manager or the Argentina manager I want all my players to play. “I can only pick 11 players and we have plenty of internationals. “If I pick one, another needs to stay on the bench or out of the squad.”