Team News: Lloris back in Tottenham training, Gedson Fernandes to feature at Watford

Tottenham Hotspur are back in action in the Premier League this Saturday, traveling to Watford to face the resurgent Hornets at Vicarage Road. Spurs announced a bit of good news in their weekly team report — Tottenham club captain and #1 goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has returned to full training this week, though it is unlikely that he will feature in a match until early February.

That leaves four additional players out vs. Watford — Harry Kane and Moussa Sissoko are in the early stages of recovery after surgery, and Ben Davies & Tanguy Ndombele nearing a point where they can return to training.

But for those who were interested to see Tottenham’s newest signing, 21-year old midfielder Gedson Fernandes, you won’t have to wait long. In his pre-match press conference, Spurs head coach Jose Mourinho confirmed that Fernandes will be part of the team setup at Vicarage Road tomorrow morning.

“This weekend they can expect [Fernandes] to be involved, starting or not but for sure involved in the team. When you get players in January, normally it’s because you need. And we need, because we lost important players for long time so we need his contribution. Young player, yes, just arrived in a new country, yes, but at the same time has experience of playing for a big club.

“Has played already big matches, for instance Bayern Munich and Galatasaray away in the Champions League. Europa League quarter-finals, so he’s used to a high level of stress, pressure, responsibility.

“He’s a kid that can play different positions in midfielder, even wide on the right if we need. We got him for his multi-functionality. He’s what I used to call a special loan. He’s not a three month loan and goodbyes. One-and-a-half year loan when he’ll have time to develop, and who knows if he doesn’t stay here for a number of years.”

The other “questionable” player who is expected to feature for Spurs is Christian Eriksen. Despite reports that Tottenham and Inter are nearing an agreement that would send the Dane to Milan during this month’s transfer window, a deal has not been announced, and with Spurs short handed in midfield Mourinho says he expects Christian to be part of the match day squad.

“I think [Eriksen] is trying to do his best, and I think it’s normal that until January 31st his brain is not totally in focus. I think it’s a normal consequence of the situation, and if I am a player and I’m reading every day and probably I’m having information about that optimism that you are speaking about.

“I think it’s normal that a player doesn’t know very well what is going on, but I still don’t understand why that optimism because in this moment for a few matches people are speaking about is Eriksen going? Eriksen played his last match for the club, and the situation didn’t change, Eriksen plays tomorrow.”

Spurs will be shooting for a different result than the last time these two teams faced each other, a 1-1 draw at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in October. Abdoulaye Doucoure put the visitors in front after six minutes, and it took a defensive miscue plus a lengthy VAR check for Dele to equalize for Spurs in the 86th minute. The goal salvaged a draw against a Watford side that was then winless and at the bottom of the table.