Mauricio Pochettino: It does not look great for Dele Alli ahead of Chelsea League Cup semi-final

Mauricio Pochettino has challenged one of his squad’s lesser lights to take advantage of Dele Alli’s possible absence after admitting the England midfielder’s hamstring injury “does not look great”.

Alli seemed in serious discomfort when he was withdrawn after 86 minutes of Tottenham’s game against Fulham.

Victory ensures Spurs will go into Thursday’s League Cup semi-final second leg against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge full of confidence but it is unlikely that Alli will be available. The 22-year-old, who scored Tottenham’s first goal yesterday, joins Harry Kane on the club’s injured list but Pochettino insists he is not too concerned.

He said: “The hamstring is a muscle where you need to be careful. We need to assess him in the next few days but it doesn’t look great.

“We can all agree that when he put his hands on his hamstring it’s a situation where he has felt a pull. It’s not great to see that. It’s not a worry – it’s a massive opportunity for a different player.