Hutton likely to miss Nijmegen clash

TOTTENHAM full-back Alan Hutton is not expected to travel with the squad for the UEFA Cup clash against NEC Nijmegen in Holland following a scan on his injured foot.

The 23-year-old Scotland international had the scan on Monday and the injury is still to be assessed before it is known how long the former Rangers player will need to recover.

Hutton’s start to the campaign was delayed due to his foot problem but he had been back for the last month and played 90 minutes in Scotland’s defeat to Argentina last Wednesday.

It leaves Spurs boss Harry Redknapp with a selection headache ahead of the Group D clash at Stadion de Goffert against NEC, as right-back Vedran Corluka and striker Roman Pavlyuchenko are cup-tied, while Luka Modric is out with a groin complaint.

Skipper Ledley King will rest his knee, so Redknapp is likely to pair Jonathan Woodgate and Michael Dawson in the heart of the defence, and Chris Gunter is in the frame for a role at full-back.

King featured in the win over Blackburn on Sunday which lifted Spurs out of the relegation zone — and Redknapp prefers using him for Premier League games over Europe.

“When you’re down there, three points is always the most important thing, and I was pleased with the way we dug in and ground them out on Sunday,” King said.

Former boss Juande Ramos, who was sacked the weekend after the defeat in Italy, admits he was shocked at how the players turned against him.

He said “Honestly, I have been surprised but I have a clear conscience regarding myself and the coaching staff’s work.”