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Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed that Dele Alli is in line to return for Tottenham Hotspur at Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday but will not take any risks on the England man.
The attacking midfielder has been a big loss for Spurs missing the last two games with a hamstring injury on international duty but is now back in training.
“We still need to wait until tomorrow to assess whether he’s part of the squad,” Pochettino said on Thursday. “Today was a recovery day and it was difficult to judge. Tomorrow we will see if he’s ready or whether he needs to wait a few days more to be involved.
“We are never going to put ourselves or our interests in front of that of a player. We will never take a risk because we need to win football. The most important is all the players. We need to feel 100 per cent. We need to assume the risk, if you are conscious we will take a risk something could happen.”
Tiredness has been a hot top of conversation at Tottenham with both Kieran Trippier and Toby Alderweireld left out of the squad for the Champions League defeat by Inter Milan on Tuesday , a third defeat in a row under Pochettino for the first time.
“Of course there will be changes, that’s the plan,” Pochettino said. “We have a plan, if you win or lose. The plan is to help the players.
“I told you this season was a massive challenge. We made changes last season and rotated, when you lose it is the same. We need to have a plan, you have to change if you win or lose.”
Pochettino was composed despite seemingly being under pressure following a poor run of form and believes that criticism will actually help his side recover
“I’m so relaxed, I’m so calm,” he said. “I know football. I know when you win you get a lot of praise you don’t deserve.
“When you lose you need to accept the balance and criticism. People will think differently. Trying to find the reason why we lose, that’s our understanding. Balance is the most important. You have to accept the criticism.
“The objective is to keep focused. Our reality, trying to show our balance is the most important thing.
“The group is anxious about not winning games. That happens. Sometimes it is good to feel painful defeats. It is so important to be clear and strong.
“Football is like life. It is impossible to be happy for 70 years - there are ups and downs and it is so important to learn and keep calm.
“Saturday is like another. It is still at the beginning of the season. The potential for the team is massive.
“We need to be strong. The game we lose, the way we concede is painful. It is so important to keep our belief. It is a great opportunity Saturday against Brighton.”
Pochettino also has no concerns about Harry Kane’s form going an unfamiliar four games, three for Spurs, without a goal for club and country.
“Harry Kane is one of the best players we have, that is no doubt,” he said. “After three games it is not much, it is only three games he hasn’t scored.
“All strikers suffer some periods when they don’t score. But Harry Kane is so important that if he doesn’t score we sometimes don’t win.”
Captain Hugo Lloris remains sidelined for Tottenham with a thigh injury but is edging closer towards a return to fitness. Moussa Sissoko is another who could return following a hamstring after he appeared in training on Thursday.
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