Defoe has manager’s sympathy but Redknapp determined to stick with chosen two

TOTTENHAM manager Harry Redknapp admits he feels sorry for Jermain Defoe but is confident the in-form striker will not become upset at his recent omission from the starting line-up.

Defoe has looked a completely different striker this year to the one that scored just four Barclays Premier League goals last term. The England hitman has found the net five times in seven starts this season but he has not started the last two league games thanks to the form of Emmanuel Adebayor and Rafael van der Vaart, who scored both goals in last week’s 2-1 win at Blackburn to take his tally to six for the season.

Defoe is fighting to work his way back into the England squad and was recently left out of their qualifier in Montenegro.