Defoe will be fit to play West Brom
Tottenham Hotspur striker Jermain Defoe says he will be fit and ready to face West Brom this weekend.
Defoe was taken off on a stretcher during England's 3-1 victory over Switzerland in the European qualifying match Tuesday night. However, it seems the knock he suffered is not as bad as first feared.
Defoe said: "I jarred my ankle or my knee but it feels alright. I've always said I'll do my best to make sure I'm out there. I've just got to rest it (the injury). I'll just keep icing it and I'm sure I'll be ok."
The news will come as welcome relief to Spurs manager Harry Redknapp who may have feared the loss of another important player after Michael Dawson picked up a knee injury against Bulgaria.
One less headache
This will be one less headache for Redknapp to worry about because Defoe is arguably the most in-form player that Spurs has available at the moment. Therefore, if he can prove his fitness then there is no doubt that he'll play in the match against West Brom.
The problem for Spurs is not to try and rush anything. It will be tempting for the club to make Defoe train to ensure that his knee is fine. However, Defoe's comments suggest that he has a lot of swelling and Spurs may have to accept that he won't train at any point this week.
The most sensible thing that Redknapp could do is play Robbie Keane up front in place of Defoe and start the England striker from the bench for the West Brom game. Keane has played well for the Republic of Ireland in the last few games and will be chomping at the bit to start.
However, Defoe has had such an impact on the Spurs and England team in recent times that it will be difficult to leave him out. He added: "I think the movement in the first half was maybe better than the previous game. We did really well, the manager was really happy."
Betting advice
There is no guarantee that Redknapp will start Defoe for the game against West Brom. The best option is to wait until the final moment for the Spurs team to be announced. If Defoe starts then back him to score at any point during the game. If he doesn't then back Spurs to win and avoid individuals.
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