Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino says fears that defender Toby Alderweireld may be on the sidelines for a long time are unfounded.
Belgian media reported earlier this week that the 28-year-old feared he could suffer a recurrence of the hamstring injury he suffered against Real Madrid at the start of November.
Such an outcome could sideline him for 14 weeks but Pochettino said at his press briefing on Friday that the situation has been overblown.
“He is doing well, I think someone misinterpreted,” said Pochettino. “That is why I want to clarify the situation.
“He said if, in the case there was the injury, maybe I am going to spend 14 weeks. But that was not the case.
“He is on time and he is doing well, recovering well.
“We don’t need to be worried because he avoided an injury that would maybe keep him out for a long time.”
Alderweireld will be absent for Stoke’s visit to Wembley on Saturday and Davinson Sanchez is suspended after last week’s red card at Watford but Pochettino is not concerned about a lack of numbers at the heart of the Tottenham defence.
“Against Watford, we finished with Eric Dier and Jan Vertonghen,” said the Spurs boss.
“Then we have [Juan] Foyth, Ben Davies can play like a centre-back, Serge Aurier can play like a centre back – he has played before there for Paris Saint-Germain.
“We have plenty of different options to use.”
Spurs capped a superb Champions League group campaign with a 3-0 win over Apoel on Wednesday but they have only taken two points from their last four Premier League games.
The manager remains upbeat however and said: “In general, I am positive, I am optimistic.
“I think we need to improve in different areas but I think we are focused now only on Premier League.
“We have finished Champions League now in a very good way [until the new year] and now for us, it is time to win games and so important to be focused on the Premier League, until the FA Cup starts.”
(Sky sports)
