Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed Giovani Lo Celso will not start for Tottenham against Manchester City on Saturday but says the Argentinian could be on the bench at the Etihad.
Spurs travel to the current champions hoping to make it two wins from two after a 3-1 victory over Aston Villa on the opening weekend. Pochettino will be without four senior players – find out more about those absences here – but could give a debut to deadline day arrival Lo Celso.
The 23-year-old was left out of the 18 to face Villa as he had only arrived in England two days prior to the Premier League curtain-raiser. With that in mind, Pochettino says Lo Celso is not ready to be starting matches for Tottenham, let alone a game of this magnitude.
Asked if Lo Celso will be in the matchday squad this weekend, Pochettino said (via Football London): “We’ll see. A lot of things happen around him in his life.
“He had no pre-season and has to come in and adapt. Starting in the 11, I can tell you no. Involved tomorrow? We will see.”
Pochettino went on to insist Jan Vertonghen is fit despite reports suggesting the Belgian was not in good enough shape to face Villa. However, it’s unclear whether Vertonghen will go straight back into the starting line-up or be among the substitutes.
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