Rafael van der Vaart is confident he will be ready to step back into Tottenham's starting XI when they face arch-rivals Arsenal on Sunday.
Dutch playmaker confident he will be ready to face Arsenal
Rafael van der Vaart is confident he will be ready to step back into Tottenham's starting XI when they face arch-rivals Arsenal on Sunday.
A calf injury has kept the Holland international out of Spurs' last three fixtures, but he could come back into contention on derby day in North London.
Van der Vaart is set to return to training on Wednesday, offering him ample opportunity to prove his fitness.
He believes he will be ready by the weekend, with everyone inside the White Hart Lane camp desperate to play some part against the Gunners.
"I'm recovering well from my injury," Van der Vaart told his
official website.
"I expect to be joining the team training next Wednesday after which I will start to focus on the match against Arsenal. I'll be happy to play Arsenal. I can't wait."
Doubts
Spurs are also sweating on the fitness of Emmanuel Adebayor ahead of the Arsenal clash, with a twisted knee threatening to prevent the Togolese striker from lining up against his former employers.
Benoit Assou-Ekotto is also expected to miss out after undergoing groin surgery, but Luka Modric could come back into contention after missing Sunday's goalless stalemate with Stevenage in the FA Cup.
Tottenham were well short of their best in that fixture, but Van der Vaart is confident they will successfully negotiate a replay and book a home date with Bolton in the quarter-finals.
He added: "Of course it's a pity we didn't win. I'm convinced we will be able to defeat Stevenage in our home game and will reach the next round of the FA Cup."
