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Mauricio Pochettino confirms Andros Townsend's Tottenham exile is over

Tottenham's Andros Townsend.
Image: Andros Townsend needs to improve, according to his manager

Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed Andros Townsend's Tottenham exile is over but Nabil Bentaleb will miss Sunday's Sky Live match against West Ham after he was injured playing for Algeria.

Townsend was banished two weeks ago as punishment for a heated exchange with a Spurs fitness trainer during a post-match warm-down.

Pochettino, however, has welcomed the winger back into the fold and insists it is time to put the matter to bed.

He said: "Andros started training with the group again on Tuesday. For me, it was a problem for which he has apologised. He is still young, needs to improve.

"For me, forget the past, if he deserves to be in the squad, it is not a problem. We need to forget that and we need to give him the possibility to be part of the team."

Bentaleb misses out after injuring his ankle during Algeria's 7-0 win over Tanzania on Tuesday.

Image: Bentaleb picked up injury while on international duty

The challenge came on the same ankle that has kept the midfielder out of the Tottenham team since the end of August - although Pochettino is confident he will return next week.

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"We feel sorry for Bentaleb because he was very close to playing in the week we played against Arsenal," he said.

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"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 but I am sure that in the next few days he will be available to be selected again. For Qarabag (next Thursday) or for Chelsea (next Sunday). It's not a big issue.

"It was the same ankle, it was a very bad tackle. We are lucky and he is lucky it was not a big issue."

Heung-Min Son has been carrying a foot injury since the victory over Manchester City
Image: Heung-Min Son is in contention for Sunday

Erik Lamela is suspended this weekend and Nacer Chadli remains out with an ankle problem.

Clinton Njie, however, has shaken off a hamstring strain while summer signing Son Heung-min is also available again following his recovery from a foot injury.

Son has not started for Spurs in eight weeks but played 90 minutes and scored twice for South Korea in a 5-0 win over Laos on Tuesday.

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