Early Tottenham team news: Senior pair axed against Middlesbrough
By Harry Sykes
Michael Vorm will be omitted from the Tottenham side for their Premier League clash against Middlesbrough on Saturday, Football Insider sources understand.
Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino is set to recall skipper Hugo Lloris to the starting XI for the 5.30pm kick-off against north-east side.
Lloris was pictured stepping off the team coach that arrived at White Hart Lane 90 minutes before the match was due to start.
Vorm , 33, will not be the only player who started the goalless draw against Sunderland on Tuesday night to be sidelined for the Saturday evening showdown.
Danny Rose, 26, will also miss out with a knee injury sustained at the Stadium of Light as he prepares to see a specialist on Monday about the problem.
Ben Davies is set to replace Rose against Boro, while two other senior defenders – centre-back Jan Vertonghen and right-back Kierian Trippier – will also be unavailable for selection.
They are joined on the injury list by Georges-Kevin N’Kouodou and long-term absentee Erik Lamela.
Pochettino will otherwise stick with the regulars who have contributed to an eight-match unbeaten run that included six consecutive wins in the league before the two recent draws against Sunderland and Manchester City.
“GK (N’Koudou) is much better,” Pochettino said on Friday, as quoted by the official Spurs website. “For tomorrow he is out but he is much better. Kieran Trippier is still out but is much better too in the same level and be sure for next week he will be available.”
Centre-back Jan Vertonghen is stepping up his recovery after suffering ankle ligament damage, and could be back in action by the end of the month.
“Jan Vertonghen is doing better, he’s started to run on the pitch, he is very positive and we’ll see in the next few weeks how he is doing but we are very positive about him,” added Pochettino.
“Erik Lamela’s progression is good – every day is step-by-step going ahead. It’s better to be cautious but we are positive and happy.”
Spurs need to win against Boro to keep the pressure on league leaders Chelsea, who extended their lead at the top to a mammoth 12 points after destroying Arsenal with a 3-1 win earlier on Saturday.
In other Tottenham news, a striker has signed after Spurs agreed terms.
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