Spurs sweat on van der Vaart fitness

Rafael van der Vaart was today rated only “50-50” by Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp to return from an ankle knock in Sunday’s Barclays Premier League game with Liverpool.

Holland star Van der Vaart missed Wednesday’s Champions League win over Werder Bremen with the problem and also sat out training this morning.

Jermaine Jenas was today set to undergo a scan on the calf injury that forced him off against Bremen, which could determine his availability, Michael Dawson (ligament damage) is back in training, but Giovani dos Santos (groin) looks to be out, while captain Ledley King (groin), Jamie O’Hara (back) and Jonathan Woodgate (groin) are long-term absentees.

Provisional squad: Gomes, Cudicini, Hutton, Corluka, Bale, Gallas, Bassong, Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto, Palacios, Sandro, Jenas, Kranjcar, Lennon, Bentley, Modric, Van der Vaart, Crouch, Pavlyuchenko, Keane, Defoe.