Alderweireld will miss Chelsea match

Toby Alderweireld will not be fit for Tottenham's Premier League match at Chelsea on Saturday, manager Mauricio Pochettino says.

Alderweireld has missed Spurs' last seven matches, including Tuesday's 2-1 Champions League defeat at AS Monaco, with a knee injury sustained in the 1-1 draw with West Brom on 15 October.

The Argentine had hoped Alderweireld would return to partner Belgian international team-mate Jan Vertonghen in defence against the league leaders at Stamford Bridge at the weekend, but confirmed after his side's Champions League elimination in Monaco that the influential defender has still not recovered from a damaged nerve in his knee.

Tottenham will be without two of their first-choice defenders for the short trip across London, as Danny Rose serves a one-game ban after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season in Saturday's 3-2 win over West Ham United.

"I'm kicking myself because it was so unnecessary and yeah that [the Chelsea game] was the first fixture I looked out for in the summer and I am gutted that I am going to miss it," Rose said.

The England international defender's understudy Ben Davies is also injured, so Pochettino will have to revamp his defence for the match against the high-flying Blues.

The Tottenham boss says he needs to improve the quality of his squad if they are to compete in both the Premier League and in Europe.

"Our objective is to be competitive in the Premier League and Champions League but we need to show more, maybe to add more quality in our squad," he said after the defeat in Monaco.

"We have quality, yes, to compete in the Premier League but maybe to share both, maybe after today we see we struggle a little bit."

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has a fully-fit squad as his team, who have scored 17 goals and conceded none in winning their last six Premier League games, look to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table.

Photo (@Getty Images/Bruno Fahy)

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