Spurs duo doubtful for Barcelona clash

Posted Sunday, September 30, 2018 by PA

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino confirmed Mousa Dembele and Jan Vertonghen are major doubts for next week’s Champions League tie against Barcelona.

Spurs climbed back into the Premier League’s top four after a 2-0 win at Huddersfield, but their fourth league win out of five on the road this season came at a price.

Midfielder Dembele and defender Vertonghen were both withdrawn at the interval after Harry Kane’s first-half double had put the Londoners in control.

“We need to assess them (on Sunday),” Pochettino said. “We’ll have an answer (on Sunday). We’ll see. We’ll see what happens if they are available for Wednesday.

“The players feel some massive problem, but they don’t know if they got a knock or they feel something different. That is why it is so difficult now to tell you.”

The Londoners were without injured pair Dele Alli (hamstring) and Christian Eriksen (abdomen) at the John Smith’s Stadium and all four could miss Barcelona’s sold-out visit to Wembley on Wednesday.

When asked when Alli was expected to return, Pochettino said: “I don’t know because he re-injured the same muscle that he hurt with England against Spain and that is the problem.”

Pochettino was delighted with the manner of his side’s victory against Huddersfield.

Kane headed home Kieran Trippier’s cross to give Tottenham a 25th-minute lead against the run of play and converted his fifth league goal of the season from the penalty spot after Town substitute Florent Hadergjonaj was adjudged to have pulled back Danny Rose in the box.

“The team’s approach was fantastic,” Pochettino added. “We knew very well the game that we came to play.

“Huddersfield were so aggressive from the beginning. We found an unbelievable atmosphere, the Huddersfield fans were fantastic.

“Of course our fans were too and I think today was one of the most amazing atmospheres in England, I feel.

“It was a tough game and I’m so pleased because the team was ready to fight.

“If you don’t fight here it is so difficult to win. I think Huddersfield played well, they put in a good performance.

“But I think we deserved it because we played a different game, a different approach, but the team was available to fight.”

Huddersfield’s winless Premier League start was extended to seven matches.

They have now failed to score in their last six home league games – four of them this season – to equal a club record set during the 1971/72 season when they were last relegated from the top flight.

But the Terriers are getting closer to ending their goal drought.

Laurent Depoitre’s first-half volley rattled the crossbar and Tottenham goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga also produced fine saves to deny rasping shots from Chris Lowe and substitute Isaac Mbenza.

“There was such an incredible atmosphere in the stadium because the players left everything on the grass,” said Town boss David Wagner.

“The guys did that without reward, but if we continue to create chances the rewards will come.

“You have to show desire and passion and you need a bit of luck, which we don’t have at the moment.”