Team News: Lloris, Lamela out, Vertonghen doubtful for Everton

Happy Friday, Spursland! Tottenham Hotspur has released its team news ahead of Sunday’s Premier League match against Everton at Goodison Park, and it doesn’t look good for Erik Lamela. The midfielder, who was omitted from Argentina’s squad for the upcoming international break by Lionel Scaloni, has also been ruled out of this weekend’s Tottenham match with a hamstring injury. He joins Hugo Lloris on the injury list.

Jan Vertonghen, meanwhile, is a doubt after apparently tweaking his own hamstring somewhere along the line; he is set to be assessed, but in Tottenham-speak, that usually means “out.”

The Lamela injury is especially frustrating, because you can make a perfectly cogent argument that he’s been Tottenham’s best player this season. Lamela had played in every one of Tottenham’s league matches before last week’s trip to Anfield, and started nearly all of them. It was one of his best stretches of play in the past few years for Spurs, but the dude just cannot stay healthy, and it sucks.

There’s no indication about the severity of Lamela’s injury or when he might return to the lineup.

With Lamela out, the most likely replacements for him in the side are Lucas Moura or Giovani Lo Celso, but despite my predicted lineup from yesterday I suspect that it’ll be Lucas that will come in for Erik. If Vertonghen can’t go, it’s an easy decision to slot Davinson Sanchez beside Toby Alderwiereld in defense.

In addition to the injuries, Danny Rose will also miss Sunday’s match due to suspension after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season vs. Liverpool.