McCann back for Clarets
Posted Sunday, May 09, 2010 by PA
Burnley midfielder Chris McCann returns to the squad for the Barclays Premier League match against Tottenham.
McCann has endured a frustrating campaign - in which the club have been relegated - due to knee injuries.
Clarke Carlisle, who has signed a new two-year deal, is again sidelined because of an ankle problem.
Ledley King could be rested by Spurs boss Harry Redknapp with Champions League qualification already secured.
Redknapp claims King has "defied all logic" by maintaining his peerless form during the club's march to the top four.
King is troubled by a persistent knee injury that restricts his ability to train but has put himself back into England contention with a string of superb performances in the Premier League run-in.
Redknapp is amazed how the centre-back, who is likely to be included in Fabio Capello's squad for South Africa, can churn out such displays in the circumstances.
"How a lad can not train but come out and play against top players as he has, I don't know," he said.
"It's defied all logic, it's amazing. If that's the way to do it, we're wasting our time coming into training every day - we might as well all just turn up on Saturday!
"He's a freak really, how he can do that."
King has played in Spurs' last three matches - including two in the past week.
Champions League football is now secure thanks to Wednesday's 1-0 win at Manchester City and Redknapp wants to make sure King does not sustain a fresh setback before Capello names his enlarged preliminary squad for the World Cup on Tuesday.
"I would not want to crock him," Redknapp said.
"It is important that if he has got a chance of going to the World Cup, I don't finish him off."
Sebastien Bassong is likely to come in at centre-back for King.
Goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes is struggling with a muscle strain and could miss out while Vedran Corluka, Niko Kranjcar (both ankle), Jonathan Woodgate (groin) and Carlo Cudicini (wrist/pelvis) are still ruled out.
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