Tottenham Team News: Poch Confirms Huge Boost But Trio To Miss Watford Clash

Tottenham will be looking to keep the pressure on the top four in the league when they take on Watford at Vicarage Road on New Year’s Day.

Ahead of the game, Mauricio Pochettino has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference this afternoon and he’s offered a team news and injury update.

The Spurs boss was pleased to confirm a huge boost with the news that Toby Alderweireld has recovered from the virus that kept him out of the Southampton game and should be available for the trip to Watford.

Alderweireld has endured a frustrating campaign as he only recently returned from a lengthy absence due to a knee injury and missed the Burnley game earlier this month with a minor back problem before picking up a virus.

However, the Belgian international now looks to be back to full fitness and is expected to replace Jan Vertonghen in the back four on Sunday with his compatriot ruled out of the game due to suspension.

Kyle Walker will also miss the Watford game after picking up his fifth booking of the season against Southampton so Kieran Trippier should be recalled at right-back this weekend.

Pochettino also confirmed that Erik Lamela is slowly working his way back to full fitness after spending the last two months on the sidelines with a hip injury but the attacker is still not ready to make his return to action just yet.

Here is what Pochettino told reporters today:

TEAM NEWS: "@ErikLamela is still recovering, slowly. @JanVertonghen and @kylewalker2 are suspended." pic.twitter.com/en5hnhTavb

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) December 30, 2016

Otherwise Tottenham have no other injury worries to contend with as they head in to the Watford game sitting just one point off fourth-placed Arsenal so they’ll be looking to leapfrog their north London rivals with a win on Sunday ahead of the Gunners clash with Crystal Palace later in the day.