Tottenham Hotspur are doing their best to carefully build up captain Son Heung-min's fitness by managing his minutes on the pitch, manager Ange Postecoglou said on Friday ahead of their Premier League clash against Ipswich Town.
Son missed games for Spurs and South Korea earlier in the season due to a hamstring injury, before playing in a 4-1 win over West Ham United last month, an appearance which exacerbated the winger's injury and kept him out of the next three matches.
He has been used sparingly in Spurs' last two games, playing 56 minutes in a 4-1 league win over Aston Villa and 45 minutes in their 3-2 Europa League loss to Galatasaray on Thursday.
"He had the injury, we brought him back and in the first game back he had a relapse," Postecoglou told reporters ahead of Sunday's home game against Ipswich.
"We don't want to put him into that cycle, it's very easy to fall into it by pushing players particularly when they're coming back from injury. We're managing his minutes and building him up.
"It's about making sure we get him back and keep him back. We can't afford more injuries in that position. We've already got Wilson (Odobert) with a long-term injury, (Richarlison) with a long-term injury, Mikey (Moore) out now."
Spurs, seventh in the league with 16 points from 10 matches, have struggled to put together a winning streak in the league, with two wins and two defeats in their last four matches.
The North London club trail league leaders Liverpool by nine points, but Postecoglou said it was futile to focus on the standings this early in the season.
"We still have a hell of a long way to go. What's important for us is to keep progressing in the way we have been. Our football for the large part has been pretty consistent, pretty good," the Australian added.
"We've had a couple of stumbles along the way but within that context, I still think we're making progress. There's no point looking at the table now because ultimately it's where you are at the end of the season that's going to count."
Spurs will fancy their chances against 18th-placed Ipswich who are yet to win a match, but Postecoglou urged caution, adding: "Every league game has the potential to hurt you if you're not at your best.
"Ipswich will be no different. They were close last week (to winning) and they've been close in a number of games. Kieran McKenna has done an unbelievable job since he's been there and they continue to grow."
De Jong, who has struggled with an ankle injury, last competed for the Dutch in a European Championship qualifier against Ireland in Dublin in September last year.
The Barcelona midfielder was included in the Netherlands squad for the Euros in Germany, but had to pull out due to persistent injury and was a big loss for the side.
There is no return for striker Memphis Depay, who has scored twice in the last two months for his new Brazilian team Corinthians. The 30-year-old last played at Euro 2024.
Manchester City defender Nathan Ake has also not been included despite his return to fitness last month.
Ajax right back Devyne Rensch and PSV Eindhoven winger Noa Lang return to the squad for the matches against Hungary in Amsterdam on November 16 and then away in Bosnia-Herzegovina three days later.
Rensch won his only cap in 2021 and this is the first time he has been selected by coach Ronald Koeman. Lang is rewarded for some good form with PSV and is back after more than a year without being picked.
This is #JongOranje! 🫵
— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) November 8, 2024
🆕 in the squad: Couhaib Driouech! 🦁 #NothingLikeOranje #TheNextUp pic.twitter.com/bpvtIkbLq2
Netherlands are second in Group A3, five points behind leaders Germany and ahead of Hungary in third on goal difference.
They need to at least remain in second spot to earn a place in the quarterfinals next March.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Mark Flekken (Brentford), Nick Olij (Sparta Rotterdam), Bart Verbruggen (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Defenders: Matthijs de Ligt (Manchester United), Stefan de Vrij, Denzel Dumfries (both Inter Milan), Jorrel Hato, Devyne Rensch (both Ajax Amsterdam), Jurrien Timber (Arsenal), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Midfielders: Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen), Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool), Teun Koopmeiners (Juventus), Tijjani Reijnders (AC Milan), Quinten Timber (Feyenoord), Mats Wieffer (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Forwards: Brian Brobbey (Ajax Amsterdam), Cody Gakpo (Liverpool), Justin Kluivert (Bournemouth), Noa Lang (PSV Eindhoven), Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund), Wout Weghorst (Ajax Amsterdam), Joshua Zirkzee (Manchester United).