Tottenham manager Antonio Conte has confirmed that Matt Doherty is set to miss the rest of the season after suffering a knee injury against Aston Villa on Saturday. The right-back was on the end of a forceful tackle from Matty Cash in the first half of the 4-0 victory and will not play a part in the remainder of the campaign.
The Republic of Ireland international had underwhelmed for much of his time at Tottenham but had hit an impressive patch of form under Conte's stewardship. In his last six Premier League appearances prior to the trip to Villa Park, the 30-year-old had scored twice and assisted three more goals, helping Spurs leapfrog Arsenal into the top four.
However, they will have to make do without him for the remainder of the campaign. Reports had circulated following the clash with Villa that he could well miss the rest of the season, and that has now been confirmed to be the case.
Asked at his pre-match press conference whether Doherty would need surgery, Conte responded: "No. I think the first visit with the doctor said he can recover without surgery. His type of situation, different opinions and make the best decision.
But the news of how long he is expected to miss was more concerning. "Seven - eight weeks before he recovers," Conte added. "For this reason, his season has finished. it is a pity as Doherty was an important player for us."
There were doubts hanging over whether or not Conte himself would be available for the visit of Brighton on Saturday lunchtime. A positive COVID test in the aftermath of the 4-0 victory could have left him having to watch from afar, but he confirmed that he was now fine despite experiencing some early symptoms.
"I attended the training session but from a distance, and I had my staff. My staff, they did a really good job," Conte added. "After the game against Aston Villa, the day after, I started to feel a bit of mild symptoms, a bit of pain in my throat, and I asked to have a Covid test, and it was positive.
"Now I'm fine, and I'm well. For sure, this week was a strange week for me and also for the players because players are used to having a training session with me and not only my staff. It's ok because my staff are doing a great job. I attended the training session from a distance, and I think I'll stay in my place on the bench on Saturday. Given the length of time my Covid test, I think I can stay on the bench on Saturday."
