Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed that alongside Jan Vertonghen and Erik Lamela, Harry Kane, Toby Alderweireld and Danny Rose will also miss Tottenham Hotspur’s FA Cup match against Wycombe Wanderers.
Toby Alderweireld was substituted off after 65 minutes in the Lilywhite’s 2-2 draw with Manchester City after he felt tightness in his hamstring, while Kane also felt a small pain in his groin in the second half of the same match. Rose on the other hand had a knock on his knee.
Pochettino commented that “we don’t want to take any risk, so for sure they won’t be available for Saturday but we hope all three will be available for Tuesday” when Spurs travel to the Stadium of Light to face Sunderland.
Jan Vertonghen on the other hand picked up an ankle ligament injury in Tottenham’s 4-0 win over West Bromich Albion but Pochettino comment that the defender is doing “much better” and it looks as though he will be sideline for only another 3-4 weeks.
Lamela’s progression
Things were also looking up for Erik Lamela who has been sidelined with a hip injury since October, with Pochettino revealing to the media that the winger returned from his two week rehabilitation program in Rome on Friday. Pochettino also revealed that “He still has a little pain in his hip joint” but the staff “hope after we assess him he can start his recovery and fitness to be available as soon as possible for the team”.
The Argentine added that “It’s always difficult to be away from the group but he needed in that moment to stay in a different place. Hopefully he arrives back positive and starts to build his fitness”.
This isn’t the first time Lamela has been sidelined for a long period of time with an injury. In his first season at Spurs the Argentine was out with a hip and thigh injury and then a back injury for a large section of the season.