Spurs team news: Jermain Defoe back in contention to face Arsenal

Jermain Defoe

By Ben Pearce, Tottenham correspondent Friday, March 1, 2013
2:35 PM

Andre Villas-Boas says Jermain Defoe has recovered from his ankle injury and is in contention to face Arsenal in the north London derby at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

Defoe limped out of the 1-0 victory over West Brom at The Hawthorns on February 3 and has missed the last four games – but he is available to face the Gunners this weekend.

“Jermain has trained with the team over the last two days so hopefully he’s going to be available for selection,” said Spurs’ head coach at today’s press conference.

“He will train again tomorrow so he will definitely be a contender for the game. It’s good to have him back.”

Clint Dempsey and Tom Huddlestone are out of action, and Villas-Boas is cautious about setting a date for Younes Kaboul’s long-awaited return from the knee injury that has ruled him out for virtually the entire campaign.

“I think we are looking for two more weeks probably,” he said. “There hasn’t been a setback but his introduction back to training has taken more time, so we are taking it one step at a time because we don’t want top have any more problems with his knee.

“Every time there is pain still in the knee we drop back in the intensity levels with his training, inside or outside on the pitch with us.

“He is scheduled to train with us tomorrow once again and them drop off a little bit at the weekend, and then come back. Until he comes back to full training without any problems it will definitely be two more weeks.”

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