Mauricio Pochettino is confident that Dele Alli will be fit to play for Tottenham in the north London derby on 18 November.
Alli has withdrawn from the England squad and will play no part in their forthcoming friendlies against Germany and Brazil in November due to a hamstring injury.
The attacking midfielder, 21, was absent from the Spurs team on Sunday afternoon as they laboured to a 1-0 victory against the Premier League’s bottom club Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium.
Pochettino revealed afterwards, as quoted by the personal Twitter account of ESPN FC correspondent Dan Kilpatrick, that Alli had a hamstring problem that he sustained in the defeat at Manchester United eight days ago but claimed it it a “very, very small thing” and expects him to play against Arsenal.
#thfc Alli damaged muscle near hamstring vs Man Utd but played against Real anyway. “V, v small thing.” Poch expects him to be fit for AFC.
— Dan Kilpatrick (@Dan_KP) November 5, 2017
Pochettino’s side looked weary against Palace after their Champions League victory over Real Madrid in midweek, but Son Heung-Min’s effort from the edge of the area on the hour mark proved enough to secure three points.
The triumph lifted Spurs level on points with Manchester United, who are due to face Chelsea later in the afternoon.
OPINION
Spurs will need Alli’s calibre and appetite for the big occasion when they go head to head against Arsenal immediately after the international break. The playmaker has frequently demonstrated he is able to deliver in the marquee matches, and their north London rivals will certainly fear him more than the likes of Son and Moussa Sissoko, his most likely replacements were he not to have regained fitness in time.