22 December 2023 , 21:54
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Micky van de Ven has given Tottenham a Christmas boost by revealing he will be back in training early in the New Year.
The big Dutch defender pulled up with a “significant” hamstring injury in last month's traumatic 4-1 home defeat by Chelsea and was expected to be out for three months. But Van de Ven, who was cheering on compatriot Raymond van Barneveld at the PDC Darts World Championship on Friday night, said: “It's going well – only two more weeks.”
The 6ft 4in centre back had quickly established himself as a favourite among Spurs fans until he was crocked in a chaotic match where Tottenham also lost England midfielder to an ankle injury and finished with nine men. Van de Ven's optimistic bulletin from Alexandra Palace suggests he could be back in action by the time Spurs visit Manchester United on January 14.
Meanwhile, Ange Postecoglou will keep channelling his focus on problem-solving rather than allowing himself to get frustrated at the club’s growing list of absentees. Spurs won 2-0 at Nottingham Forest last week, but finished the match with 10 men after Yves Bissouma was shown his second red card of the season.
Bissouma will be suspended for four matches and Destiny Udogie is banned for Saturday’s visit of Everton after he received his fifth caution of the campaign at the City Ground. It adds to Postecoglou’s problems with Van de Ven, James Maddison and Rodrigo Bentancur already ruled out until January while attackers Ivan Perisic and Manor Solomon have been long-term absentees since September.
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Micky van de Ven has been out since October with an ankle injury (Javier Garcia/REX/Shutterstock)Postecoglou said: “I think it is important from my perspective that you don’t deal in the extreme because it is an emotional game. There are enough people who get emotional about these things so it doesn’t need me to add to that. My job in all of this is to ultimately find solutions rather than focus too much on the fall-out of any issues we’ve had because I guarantee you once we get all the players back, there will be something else.
“Like I said, it is important for the players and staff that they know through that process my role is to charter a way forward rather than focus on the fall-out from any challenges we may have.”