Eric Dier says Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham selection dilemmas good to have ahead of Champions League final
Wednesday 29 May 2019 11:09, UK
Eric Dier believes Mauricio Pochettino's selection dilemmas are good problems to have ahead of Tottenham's Champions League final clash with Liverpool on June 1.
The three-week break between Tottenham's final game of the Premier League season, a 2-2 draw at home to Everton, and the Champions League final in Madrid has allowed Harry Kane and Harry Winks to return from their respective injuries.
Kane had been sidelined with an ankle ligament problem since Spurs' 1-0 quarter-final first-leg victory over Manchester City in early April.
Winks, who was omitted from England's Nations League squad on Tuesday, has returned to full fitness for the final having been injured in the same Champions League game last month.
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Fernando Llorente, Moussa Sissoko, Victor Wanyama and Lucas Moura played influential roles in helping Spurs reach the final, but Dier believes it will be a positive problem for Pochettino to have an increased pool of players to call upon on Saturday.
"Being a manager is difficult and you have to make difficult decisions," Dier said.
"But I'm sure he has everyone available to help the team in the final and to help everyone to prepare, it's a good problem to have."
England captain Kane has insisted he has not rushed his return and is 100 per cent prepared for the Champions League final and two games for England in the Nations League next week.
Dier says team morale is positive ahead of Saturday's showpiece at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium and thinks the three-week break has helped Spurs as much as Liverpool prepare for the final.
"We all feel prepared, excited and looking forward to the final," he added. "I don't believe we've really changed anything in the way we work, the coaching staff have put the best plan together to get the most of the last week.
"I don't think there's too much of a difference for either side, Liverpool have had a few injuries at the end of the season too, the gap just gives both teams the chance to be in the best possible shape for the final.
"It's always been the message from the manager that this is very much the squad, the coaching staff and not just the team.
"Now is no different, these last two weeks every player has been trying to help the team in every way possible. We're all pushing towards the same objective."
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