Redknapp won’t rush Lennon

HARRY REDKNAPP needs to check on Aaron Lennon, left, before he knows whether the Tottenham winger can become a key figure in the battle for fourth spot.

With Manchester City failing to take advantage of Spurs’ defeat at Manchester United by claiming only a point from their trip to Arsenal, Redknapp’s men will hold a narrow advantage in the battle for that coveted fourth Champions League spot heading into the penultimate weekend of the campaign.

Having Lennon available would be a major advantage for the north London outfit. The England star returned from a four-month spell on the sidelines with a groin injury at Old Trafford on Saturday.

But he had little opportunity to show his talent in a frustrating 20-minute appearance and now Redknapp wants to monitor him before deciding what role he can have in the encounters with Bolton and Burnley, that are split by that hugely significant encounter with City at Eastlands on May 5.

“Lennon could be a key player,” said Redknapp. “I don’t know really. It depends how he is.

“He came on but he never really got into a sprint. That is his first run out so we will have to see how he is this week.”