Pochettino hints at resting Tottenham ace who starred in Belgrade

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has hinted that Giovani Lo Celso will not be in his side against Sheffield United.

Lo Celso made his first start for Spurs in Wednesday’s Champions League win over Red Star Belgrade and impressed, scoring first in a 4-0 victory.

But having only recently come back from a hip injury, Pochettino suggested that the short turnaround between games might count against Lo Celso.

“I need to assess tomorrow morning, it is a very short period to recover,” Pochettino said.

“Some players suffer some small issues. We are going to play three games in six days.

“I need to assess, I still have not decided the starting XI for tomorrow.”

Ryan Sessegnon could feature, having come off the bench in the last two games after the start to his Spurs career was blighted by a hamstring injury.

His return to fitness has seen him called up to the England Under-21s squad for the games against Albania and Holland.

 

Pochettino, as was with the case with Lo Celso’s call-up to the Argentina squad, said he would prefer it if Sessegnon was staying at the club’s training ground.

He said: “It is the same answer as I gave you with Lo Celso last week. I accept when the national team asks for your player or calls them up.

“To be honest I prefer that the player should be here training with us and be available to play 90 minutes.

“It is better because you have two weeks to build his fitness, the concept and different things.

“But we know very well that players enjoy going to play for their national team, and for the Under-21s Ryan is a very important player.

“He has played in the last two games and been involved in the squad, playing some minutes.

“He suffered a big injury at Fulham and we are trying to provide him to be in his best form, but we are so happy that he is involved with the team.”