London — It is a mark of how far Tottenham Hotspur have come that they start as favourites to win what could be a pivotal Champions League Group E fixture away to Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday despite the absence of key defender Toby Alderweireld. Spurs have yet to confirm that the Belgium centre-half has joined England striker Harry Kane as a nonstarter, but the manner in which Alderweireld left the pitch clutching his knee at West Brom on Saturday suggests he will not feature. "It will be difficult for him [Alderweireld] to go," said manager Mauricio Pochettino, who added that further tests were being conducted on Sunday. Kane has been out for almost a month with an ankle injury. Alderweireld has been in commanding form alongside compatriot Jan Vertonghen at the heart of a Spurs defence that is the Premier League’s meanest this season. But the Belgian’s influence goes beyond preventing the opposition scoring. His raking cross-field balls, three of which were delivered with pinpoint ...
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