Mousa Dembele could be facing an extended period on the sidelines in what would be a major blow to Tottenham.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino admitted on Thursday that the Spurs medical staff were unsure as to the seriousness of the foot injury that has sidelined the Belgium international for their last two matches.
The Argentine admitted that Dembele is could face several more weeks on the sidelines as he appeared to rule him out of Tottenham’s Premier League trip to Huddersfield on Saturday and for a significant time afterwards.
“We hope it won’t be a big problem but I think he needs time to recover,” said Pochettino, as quoted by the personal Twitter account of Spurs journalist Ben Pearce.
“We need more information, to speak with the doctor and then see what happens in the next few weeks.”
#thfc Pochettino vague on Dembele: “We hope it won’t be a big problem but I think he needs time to recover…”
— Ben Pearce (@BenPearceSpurs) September 28, 2017
#thfc Pochettino: “We need more information, to speak with the doctor and then see what happens in the next few weeks.”
— Ben Pearce (@BenPearceSpurs) September 28, 2017
The central midfielder has made six appearances for Tottenham this season, five of which have been starts, but his ongoing problem ruled him out of Tuesday’s Champions League win against Apoel Nicosia and last weekend’s 3-2 win at West Ham.
OPINION
Spurs fans will be fearing another Erik Lamela situation with Dembele. The parallels are uncanny; key man suffers injury, Pochettino delivers vague updates and the medical staff are left scratching their heads with no end in sight. Lamela has been sidelined for 12 months in what has been a devastating absence, and the Tottenham faithful will be hoping that Dembele is not now set for a lengthy lay-off. He is an integral member of the team and key to their title hopes. His power, technique and ability to carry the ball forward while brushing opponents aside make him a dominant figure in central midfield. Pochettino frequently refers to him as a “genius” while many regard him as the club’s outstanding midfielder.