Tottenham will not wish to rely on the potential added fifth spot on offer in order to secure Champions League qualification and a win over West Ham on Tuesday will keep the pressure on Aston Villa in fourth.
Unai Emery’s side face Manchester City on Thursday when points may well be dropped by the Villains, meaning a Spurs triumph will reduce the gap. Not only does fourth spot ensure qualification but also puts a club in a better seeding position for the draw under the new one-table format.
A victory would essentially kill off West Ham’s slim hopes of a top-five finish, meaning Tottenham’s list of Champions League rivals would realistically slim down to just two – Villa and Manchester United.
United face Chelsea and Liverpool this week and could also lose further ground on the top five, so three points for Spurs – who face lowly Nottingham Forest on Sunday – in midweek could be vital.
Ange Postecoglou was able to provide an encouraging injury update in Monday’s press conference, with the Aussie confirming that there were no new injury concerns aside from three long-term absentees.
He told reporters: “Yeah pretty much no different to the last game. Everyone got through the game [vs Luton] unscathed. So no real change. Everyone is good.”
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However, Manor Solomon and Fraser Forster look set to be sidelined for a few more weeks. In February, Postecoglou revealed that Solomon required another procedure on his knee having initially damaged his meniscus in September.
He has played just six times this season as a result of his major setback and might not return until the middle of April.
Meanwhile, Forster is still working his way back from a fractured foot sustained in February. It would be a result to get him back before the start of May.
Ryan Sessegnon’s heartbreaking year of injury means he will not be playing again until next season. After working his way back from hamstring surgery – an uncommon procedure – the 23-year-old featured for seven minutes in the 1-0 FA Cup win over Burnley.
However, he suffered another hamstring setback that again needed surgery and his outline return date lands in June. His comeback is not being rushed given the nature of his injury.
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