Andros Townsend back in Tottenham first-team after disciplinary exile, reveals

And Pochettino also discussed the fitness of injured midfielder Nabil Bentaleb.

Andros Townsend has been recalled to Tottenham’s first-team squad following his two match punishment for pushing coach Nathan Gardiner. These are the links, so let’s get to them.

But they know we are a club that can cause them problems. This is the “new reality” that Mauricio Pochettino is talking about. “We need to protect him”. We are human and sometimes you don’t need words, you only need to touch the people.

Pochettino has exercised caution in bringing the midfielder back but Algeria manager Christian Gourcuff included him in his 25-man squad for World Cup qualifiers against Tanzania.

Song, on loan from Barcelona for a second campaign at West Ham, has faced a number of setbacks following surgery on his ankle, but the midfielder could be in line to feature at Tottenham on Sunday. As a precautionary measure, he won’t play on Sunday.

“Nabil Bentaleb got a bad tackle but is not 100%”. “It was to the same ankle that has kept him out this season”. It’s not a big issue. For Qarabag (next Thursday) or for Chelsea (next Sunday).

‘We feel sorry for Bentaleb, because of what has happened, ‘ added the Argentine. “We agreed with him that to go to the national team was a good opportunity to start to compete again”. This is one step back for him.

Mauricio Pochettino could have banished the 24-year-old winger from the team until January and then sold him.

But Townsend is back in contention, and could make a swift return to action with Erik Lamela suspended.

“Andros started training with the group again on Tuesday”, Pochettino told a news conference.

“I think it’s very important to provide an identity because we are an English team but the balance from the people that come in from outside, that feel the same, [is very important]”. He is still young, needs to improve.