Tottenham Hotspur vs Hull City - Mousa Dembele set to miss visit of Hull - 7M sport

Tottenham Hotspur vs Hull City - Mousa Dembele set to miss visit of Hull



Posted Wednesday, December 14, 2016 by PA

Tottenham will be without midfielder Mousa Dembele for Wednesday's Premier League game at home to Hull.

Dembele took a kick to his left foot against Manchester United on Sunday and is not available, while Vincent Janssen remains out with an ankle problem.

Erik Lamela has returned from Argentina, where he was visiting his brother in hospital, but the winger is still regaining fitness following a hip injury.

Mauricio Pochettino admits Tottenham are struggling to cope with increased levels of expectation this season.

Spurs have won only two of their last eight Premier League matches and sit 10 points adrift of frontrunners Chelsea.

Pochettino admits his side are still yet to find the rhythm of last season's surprise title challenge but argues they remain in a similar position.

"It can be one possibility, that the expectation is higher," Pochettino said.

"There are different aspects and maybe we didn't cope with the expectation.

"But if we see the result, today after 15 games we have 27 points - last season I think it was 26, one point more than last season.

"Last season in that moment we had qualified for the next round of the Europa League and like now we are in the Europa League.

"We are in nearly the same position and last season it was 'wow, Tottenham'. Today the expectation is higher and for that we feel a bit disappointed.

"Of course the Champions League was a big challenge and it disappointed a lot our fans, players and staff.

"That's the feeling but if we are cold and analyse the numbers, they are similar to last season."

Hull head coach Mike Phelan is expected to choose his starting line-up from an unchanged squad.

Phelan must decide whether to recall club-record summer signing Ryan Mason for his first return to White Hart Lane after dropping the former Tottenham midfielder to the bench for last weekend's home draw against Crystal Palace.

"We've got (Jake) Livermore, Mason, (Michael) Dawson and Tom Huddlestone who are all ex-Tottenham, so they'll all want to play against their former team," Phelan said.

"From my point of view it's about picking the right group of players and I'm sure whether Ryan starts, or he comes on as a substitute, he'll want to perform and show the qualities he learnt at Tottenham and that he's brought to Hull."

Striker Dieumerci Mbokani serves the final game of a three-match ban and Phelan will still be without Abel Hernandez, Will Keane, Moses Odubajo and Allan McGregor.



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