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Sheffield United are taking the Premier League by storm.
This year is the Blades’ first year back in the top flight for 12 years, but they find themselves sitting in sixth place. Spurs, meanwhile, are all the way back in the 11th spot.
Tottenham need a win Saturday to help push back up the table, but they’ll have to do it without a couple players suffering from hamstring injuries.
TEAM NEWS: @ErikLamela and @JanVertonghen (both hamstring) - continuing rehabilitation outdoors, unavailable this weekend.
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 8, 2019
Hugo Lloris (elbow) - day two post-surgery and continuing recovery.
#THFC ⚪️ #COYS pic.twitter.com/w3138aE8me
Thankfully, there aren’t too many injured players listed on the team news. Erik Lamela and Jan Vertonghen will miss out with said hamstring ailments, while Hugo Lloris is still out as he recovers from a dislocated elbow.
Hamstring injuries can be finnicky, but it doesn’t sound like either Lamela or Vertonghen will be out long term. According to the club, both players have started their outdoor rehabilitation, which means a return to full training should be coming relatively soon.
Giovani Lo Celso isn’t in the team news, but he could also miss out due to a short turnaround after Wednesday’s victory in Serbia.
I wasn’t at presser today but hunch is that you should prepare for disappointment over Lo Celso selection. https://t.co/XSJ0SudVhi
— Dan Kilpatrick (@Dan_KP) November 8, 2019
But Spurs will definitely have to make do without Lamela and Vertonghen this weekend. Lamela’s loss is especially costly, as the Argentinian had been enjoying an impressive start to the new campaign.
Mauricio Pochettino has a few options of players to play in place of Lamela and Vertonghen. Son Heung-Min is available in attack after his red card from last weekend against Everton was rescinded. It seems like a safe bet to assume that Davinson Sanchez and Toby Alderweireld will partner each other in central defense in Vertonghen’s absence.
As for Lloris, he had surgery on his elbow just two days. By all accounts, that surgery went well, but he still won’t be back in training until 2020.
Sheffield manager Chris Wilder says his team are nursing a few minor injuries, but he wouldn’t go into specifics about which players were doubts.
Hopefully Spurs can build on their big win in Serbia as they look to improve on their form in the Premier League.