Mauricio Pochettino has revealed that Jan Vertonghen was left out of Tottenham's matchday squad for Saturday's 1-0 defeat to West Ham due to 'big fatigue'.
The Hammers inflicted Spurs' first defeat at their new stadium as a second half strike from Michail Antonio was enough for the visitors to overcome Mauricio Pochettino's side with a stunning victory in the Premier League encounter.
INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCE!! We are the first away team to win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.#TOTWHU #COYI pic.twitter.com/NhQv0yGIsx
— West Ham United (@WestHamUtd) April 27, 2019
Suggestions that Spurs may have already begun planning for Tuesday's Champions League semi-final clash with Ajax were supported by Pochettino's decision to omit Jan Vertonghen from the matchday squad.
However, the Tottenham boss told Sky Sports: "I was only thinking [of] today.
"Today is the most important game, we are not thinking in the next [game]. I think we tried to provide the team [with] the tools and the quality and of course the players that are available and can be close to win.
This is one of those days when people that in any way think Spurs are better off without Harry Kane look a little bit silly...@90min_Football #TOTWHU
— Ben Haines (@benhainess) April 27, 2019
"I told you like I told the players, the most important game is today. We must be sure that we are going to compete in our best way, and of course we cannot avoid risk, we are in the middle of the fight because we are fighting for the top four and fighting for the Champions League.
"We cannot avoid 100 per cent the risk always in football, but of course some players, like today, Vertonghen is out of the squad because he finished with big fatigue and today was a massive risk to play with him and that is why he's out of the squad.
"But different players we rotate because I think the best starting eleven is the starting eleven that we are going to put [out] to try to be close to win."
Despite Saturday's defeat, Tottenham remain three points clear of Chelsea in third and four ahead of Arsenal, though both of Spurs' London rivals are in action on Sunday and have the chance to make up ground on Pochettino's side.
Source : 90min