ThewolfTottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has revealed that striker Dominic Solanke will not be available for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Everton due to an ankle injury.
After becoming the Lilywhites’ most expensive player of all time, joining in a £65m deal from Bournemouth, Solanke was immediately thrown into the first XI for Monday’s clash with Leicester City.
The former Chelsea and Liverpool man completed the full 90 minutes at the King Power Stadium, but he failed to make a major impact as the Foxes fought back to draw 1-1 with Posteocglou’s side.
There was no mention of any issue for Solanke in the immediate aftermath of that encounter, but speaking in Friday’s pre-game press conference, Postecoglou revealed that the 26-year-old had picked up a knock to the ankle.
Solanke sustained the issue early on against Leicester and managed to battle through the pain in the match, but a flare-up has ruled him out of Saturday’s game, and Postecoglou has suggested that he might be sidelined until after the international break.
Solanke out as Postecoglou provides Pedro Porro update
“Dominic picked up a knock in the last game, he got through the game, but he flared up the day after and he’ll miss tomorrow,” the Tottenham manager told reporters.
“It’s an ankle injury, he copped it really early on, someone went across his ankle. It just depends on his recovery [when he returns], obviously we’ve got the international break. But it’s not serious.”
Solanke will be joined on the Tottenham sidelines by Rodrigo Bentancur, who looked to have been knocked unconscious in a clash of heads with Leicester attacker Abdul Fatawu on Monday, but the Uruguayan is slowly on the mend from that incident.
In brighter news, Postecoglou confirmed that Pedro Porro would be fine to take part this weekend, despite also taking a blow to the foot in the latter stages of the Leicester draw, while Yves Bissouma returns from an internal suspension after filming himself inhaling laughing gas.
“Irrespective of concussion protocols, any head injury we’ve always got to be more conservative from my perspective,” Postecoglou said of Bentancur. ” He’s bounced back really well, he’s done all the tests and feels good but we’ll take our time with Rodrigo to make sure he’s absolutely 100 per cent before we put him out there again.
Who could replace Solanke for Everton clash?
With Solanke in the medical bay, Richarlison is surely the main contender to start at the tip of the Tottenham attack, having battled back from a long-term calf concern to come off the bench against Leicester.
The Brazilian was guilty of missing a gilt-edged chance to win the game for Tottenham on Monday, but he was Everton’s nemesis last season, scoring three times against his former club in the Premier League.
Richarlison netted a brace at Goodison Park after also opening the scoring at home last December, and he could now draw level with Wayne Rooney (four) as the player to have scored the most goals against Everton in the Premier League after leaving the Toffees.
Alternatively, Son Heung-min or Timo Werner could start up front on Saturday, where Dejan Kulusevski and new signing Wilson Odobert – who missed the Leicester stalemate as he waited for a work permit – are options to cover out wide
admin
BadboyMusty
Thewolf
