Tottenham offer Richarlison injury update after Preston absence
By Tom Gott
Tottenham assistant Cristian Stellini has cooled concerns over the fitness of Brazil forward Richarlison after he missed Saturday's FA Cup victory over Preston.
Richarlison has struggled with injuries since his £60m summer transfer to Spurs and has managed just three substitute appearances following a hamstring issue he picked up at the World Cup, so his absence against Preston sparked concerns among fans.
After Saturday's victory, in which Richarlison was expected to deputise for the unwell Harry Kane, Stellini confirmed that the former Everton man has picked up another injury concern.
“He has a small problem in the last few days,” Stellini said. “We tried to recover him, but it was not a good idea. We had just Harry Kane sick and so it was not a good idea to risk him. We will find Richarlison next week.”
Asked if Richarlison's latest injury was related to his previous hamstring issue, Stellini insisted: “No, no, no, it was a different injury. He recovered well.
"He has a small problem in his adductor, but nothing serious.”
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In Richarlison's absence, Ivan Perisic was asked to play in the more-advanced role he took up earlier in his career, while new signing Arnaut Danjuma came off the bench to open his account with Spurs' third goal of the evening.
“For Danjuma, it’s a good start for him to score in the first game but we are looking forward to working with him, we have to discover this guy,” Stellini added. “He can play many positions in the front three.”