Mauricio Pochettino says he cannot pick players out of “charity” if they are no longer performing at the level he expects. He faces a struggling Newcastle United side at home in a game they will be expected to win.
He said: “I am only going to decide to try and provide the best players that are in my head to play,” he said. “If I don’t play someone it is because I believe there is another in my opinion that is better. This is very clear.”
Speaking more generally, he added: “It is all about performance. It is all about today. Football is about today and tomorrow not yesterday.
“We are in a team… We are not a charity first of all. It is about performance and we are the coaching staff and we have a lot of options to play to play different players.
“If I play Davinson and Toby, why not play Jan? If play Davinson and Jan, why not Toby? If play (Ben) Davies, why not Danny (Rose)?
“And if I play Danny why not Davies? (Harry) Winks and not (Eric) Dier? Dier, why not Wanyama? We can stay here one hour talking about that.
“I am the coach and need to take the decision and hope it will be right.”
Heung-Min Son is back from suspension and available to face Newcastle United on Sunday, while Dele Alli has returned to training after a hamstring injury.
Attacker Son missed our final Premier League fixture of last season against Everton in addition to the first two matches of the current campaign after picking up a three-game ban following his red card in the defeat to Bournemouth in May.
There is also good news on midfielder Dele, who is back in training with the first team after sitting out of our first two games of the season with a hamstring injury.
However, midfielder Tanguy Ndombele has sustained a minor thigh injury during training and is unavailable this weekend.
He joins Juan Foyth and Ryan Sessegnon on the sidelines. Like Sonny, defender Juan has now served his three-match suspension following his sending-off against Bournemouth last term but is continuing rehabilitation from the ankle injury he sustained in pre-season.
New signing Ryan (hamstring) is also continuing rehabilitation.
Kick-off against Newcastle on Sunday is at 4.30pm.