Jack Wilshere has suffered another injury setback with the West Ham midfielder battling to return from ankle surgery.
The 26-year-old, whose career has been punctuated by injury problems, underwent a minor operation in September and was expected to be sidelined for around six weeks.
However, Wilshere is still having to rest due to some inflammation around the ankle meaning he is unable to resume training, pushing his likely return date back until November.
“Jack felt some pain the last two days here so he needs more time to recover,” revealed manager Manuel Pellegrini.
Wilshere, who joined the Hammers on a free transfer from Arsenal in the summer, had started all four of West Ham’s Premier League matches before he was injured against Wolves on September 1.
There was better news concerning another injury-plagued player, though, with Andy Carroll back on the training pitch.
The striker has yet to figure this term after suffering a recurrence of an ankle problem during pre-season.
“Andy is recovering,” added Pellegrini. “He started working this week, part of the warm-up with the whole squad, so we will see in the next week how he improves.
“I hope that in a maximum of 15 days he will at least be working with the squad completely.”
Pellegrini also confirmed forward Marko Arnautovic will be fit to face Tottenham on Saturday despite an ongoing knee problem.
Pellegrini does not expect to be facing a tired Spurs side, even though striker Harry Kane has – according to some, if not the man himself – looked jaded in the early part of the season after he and eight of his club-mates were involved in the World Cup semi-finals.
They head to the London Stadium on the back of another bout of international duty, but Pellegrini insists fatigue will not be a factor.
“I don’t think that a Spurs player will be tired, they played on Monday and then now on Saturday,” said Pellegrini.
“Maybe for the League Cup game (on October 31), when they will have played on Monday and then again on Wednesday.
“But they are all young players, they will be 100 per cent for this game.”
