Tottenham will again be without Eric Dier for Sunday’s visit of Wolves, with boss Antonio Conte saying he has no choice but to risk playing Cristian Romero and Heung-min Son for the third time in a week.
Dier has missed the matches against Brighton and Southampton with a thigh problem but Conte hopes he will be back for the match at Manchester City a week on Saturday.
Romero and Son have started both matches already this week after returning from spells on the sidelines with hamstring injuries but Conte feels he cannot afford to rest such important players.
“Unfortunately [Dier] is not fit,” Conte said. “For sure, he’s a big loss for us. He needs a bit more time to recover. I hope to have him available for the next game, away at Manchester City. But for this game he’s not available.
“We need [Romero and Son],” Conte added. “I know very well that to play three games in seven or eight days could be taking a bit of risk.
“We need them, they’re important players for us. At the back, Dier is out so Romero has to play. And Sonny, we need to have him up front. He’s an important player I think I’m not telling you anything stupid, about the importance of these players for us.”
Conte is also set to be without midfielder Oliver Skipp, who has a groin strain, and says new signings Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski are in contention for a first start.
“For sure this could be a possibility,” Conte said. “They are available and we have another day of training sessions to make the right decision. But for sure they’re available and working with the team. I prefer to wait until tomorrow, the last training session and then make the best decision over the starting XI on Sunday.
“I think the best position for Rodrigo is to play with two midfielders. He always played there with the national team and also with Juventus. He also played in a three but in my mind the perfect suit for him is to play with two midfielders.”
Spurs conceded three times from crosses in the dramatic 3-2 defeat to Saints and says his squad have worked on “specific situations” this week.
“Yeah, we have worked on it,” Conte said. “We conceded three goals in the same way and we have worked on it.
“But as I say every time its a process and we’re working to improve in every aspect and after the games against Southampton maybe we needed to work on a specific situation because we conceded three gaols in the same way.
“And we lost the game. It’s a pity. A team like Tottenham it’s not right to concede three goals during the game.”
