Spursex
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https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/fo...pain-in-his-ankle-when-he-plays-a4056836.html
Tottenham’s Harry Winks trying not to think about the pain in his ankle when he plays
Winks has featured in all but five of Spurs’ 38 matches this season and played every minute of their last eight league games, including Saturday’s 1-0 win over Newcastle.
The England star’s emergence as one of the club’s most reliable players would have seemed surprising in September, when manager Mauricio Pochettino cast doubt on Winks’s long-term fitness by revealing he would always be playing in discomfort following surgery on a long-term ankle problem in May.
Asked if he was still playing through the pain, Winks said: “Yeah, I have niggles in my ankle, which I’m managing to play with. I have managed to somehow put that to the back of my mind. I try not worry or overthink it too much.
“This season has been fantastic. I set some aims — just to play as many games as possible and stay fit all season. So far, so good. I’ve played a lot of matches and, fingers crossed, I will stay injury-free.”
Winks has been one of the first names on Pochettino’s team-sheet since Mousa Dembele suffered an injury in November. The Belgian’s subsequent departure for China means Winks is likely to remain Spurs’ midfield lynchpin.
But he insisted he is no replacement for Dembele and revealed he is trying to follow Pochettino’s advice by adding more goals to his game, after scoring for the first time in nearly 800 days in last month’s 2-1 win at Fulham.
“I learned a lot from Mousa,” Winks said. “He was a humble guy and a nice person to speak to. On the pitch he was one of the best players I’ve ever played with.
“I don’t feel the pressure [of having to replace him]. We have got a lot of good players who can step up and I don’t consider myself to have taken Mousa’s place.
“Scoring is something I’d love to improve on and bring into my game. I need to improve on my shooting and finishing because it’s not great.”
Saturday’s win put Spurs four points behind league leaders Liverpool, who visit West Ham tonight, and Winks believes his side will have to win at Anfield and Manchester City if they are to have any chance of being champions.
“To be title contenders we have to win those two games,” he said. “For now, we are happy with the position we are in, we are doing really well.”
Tottenham’s Harry Winks trying not to think about the pain in his ankle when he plays
- Dan Kilpatrick
- 53 minutes ago
Winks has featured in all but five of Spurs’ 38 matches this season and played every minute of their last eight league games, including Saturday’s 1-0 win over Newcastle.
The England star’s emergence as one of the club’s most reliable players would have seemed surprising in September, when manager Mauricio Pochettino cast doubt on Winks’s long-term fitness by revealing he would always be playing in discomfort following surgery on a long-term ankle problem in May.
Asked if he was still playing through the pain, Winks said: “Yeah, I have niggles in my ankle, which I’m managing to play with. I have managed to somehow put that to the back of my mind. I try not worry or overthink it too much.
“This season has been fantastic. I set some aims — just to play as many games as possible and stay fit all season. So far, so good. I’ve played a lot of matches and, fingers crossed, I will stay injury-free.”
Winks has been one of the first names on Pochettino’s team-sheet since Mousa Dembele suffered an injury in November. The Belgian’s subsequent departure for China means Winks is likely to remain Spurs’ midfield lynchpin.
But he insisted he is no replacement for Dembele and revealed he is trying to follow Pochettino’s advice by adding more goals to his game, after scoring for the first time in nearly 800 days in last month’s 2-1 win at Fulham.
“I learned a lot from Mousa,” Winks said. “He was a humble guy and a nice person to speak to. On the pitch he was one of the best players I’ve ever played with.
“I don’t feel the pressure [of having to replace him]. We have got a lot of good players who can step up and I don’t consider myself to have taken Mousa’s place.
“Scoring is something I’d love to improve on and bring into my game. I need to improve on my shooting and finishing because it’s not great.”
Saturday’s win put Spurs four points behind league leaders Liverpool, who visit West Ham tonight, and Winks believes his side will have to win at Anfield and Manchester City if they are to have any chance of being champions.
“To be title contenders we have to win those two games,” he said. “For now, we are happy with the position we are in, we are doing really well.”
