Nabil Bentaleb and Nacer Chadli return to Tottenham training
Wednesday 9 December 2015 15:05, UK
Tottenham duo Nabil Bentaleb and Nacer Chadli have returned to training and are in contention for their Europa League clash against Monaco on Thursday.
But midfielders Mousa Dembele and Ryan Mason did not train at Hotspur Way on Wednesday and are both out of the tie, from which a draw would ensure Spurs top Group J.
Bentaleb has recovered from an ankle problem following a setback on international duty with Algeria in November. He had initially suffered the injury at the end of August.
Forward Chadli has been suffering with an ankle injury of his own, having been stretchered off against Liverpool on October 17, while Mason took a knock against Chelsea and missed Saturday's draw at West Brom.
Dembele played 90 minutes at the Hawthorns but head coach Mauricio Pochettino revealed on Wednesday that he is carrying an illness.
Pochettino said: "It's not an injury. He is sick and out of the squad. He has a problem in his stomach. We are lucky because the action at the weekend was a big knock on his foot.
"Nacer and Nabil are back in the squad and in contention for Thursday, which is very good news for us. It's always better when you have all players fit, and it's a difficult job for me to pick the players.
"It is difficult to say the time to recovery for Mason. Maybe he will recover earlier than Pritchard."
Harry Kane will be included in the squad but Pochettino could decide to rest the striker.
"Is it a chance to rest him? Maybe yes," Pochettino said. "He is in the squad but it is true we need to assess him and we have to decide the starting 11."
Alex Pritchard remains Spurs' only long-term absentee after suffering ankle ligament damage at the beginning of the season but he has recently stepped up his recovery.
Pritchard said: "My goal is to return fit, be a better player and play more games in the Premier League.
"It's been a difficult time for me but I'm getting there now. I've done a lot on the bike and now I'm starting to put body-weight on my ankle. I've been in the pool and running on the treadmill.
"I'm just waiting for the back of my heel to recover properly and then once I'm back outdoors running, hopefully I won't have to wait too long to be back on the pitch."