Mauricio Pochettino says Tottenham Hotspur don’t have time to “sit in the chair and cry” as the club’s injury list mounts.
Spurs have been hit by numerous injuries over the course of the season already and they recently lost goalkeeper Hugo Lloris to a long-term elbow issue, with the captain undergoing surgery earlier this week.
The France international, who has been with the English outfit since arriving from Lyon in 2012, is being pencilled in for a January return although this could take longer depending on how he reacts to treatment during his rehabilitation.
Ahead of Saturday’s home Premier League clash against Sheffield United, Pochettino has also confirmed midfielder Erik Lamela and defender Jan Vertonghen are both sidelined with hamstring injuries.
Spurs could have found themselves without South Korean forward Heung-min Son, whose initial tackle led to the horrific ankle injury suffered by Everton’s Andre Gomes at Goodison Park last weekend.
However, the 27-year-old has managed to overcome any guilt he may have felt and scored two goals in Wednesday’s comfortable 4-0 Champions League victory over Red Star Belgrade.
Pochettino admits injury issues have hampered Tottenham this season but says there is no time for the team to feel sorry for themselves as the Premier League doesn’t allow that.
He said at his press conference: “It’s like now with Lamela or Vertonghen, how you sit in the chair and cry because you miss someone… But the competition does not allow you to cry. You have to move on quick. It’s a bit cruel, but you have to move on and try to win the next game.”
Tottenham head into Saturday’s contest having won only six of their past 23 Premier League fixtures, while they have dropped 10 league points from winning positions, second only to Aston Villa’s 11.
The Blades, with 16 points, have their best record after 11 matches of a top-flight season since 1974-75, but they have won only four of their 35 top-flight away games against Spurs.
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