Bale a ´big doubt´ for West Brom clash

Gareth Bale is a major doubt for Tottenham’s match against West Brom, manager Harry Redknapp has confirmed.

The PFA Player of the Year was withdrawn after just 46 minutes of Wednesday’s north London derby against Arsenal after colliding with Wojciech Szczesny during the first half.

And the manager has now revealed that he expects Bale to sit out Saturday’s Premier League fixture at White Hart Lane because of the knee injury he sustained.

“Gareth was injured. He took a little bit of a knock on the knee and he’s doubtful for tomorrow,” Redknapp said on Friday.

“We’ll see how he is later on but at the moment he is certainly a big doubt.”

“I don’t want to say that he’s definitely out just in case there is a chance, but at the moment, you wouldn’t think that he would be fit.”

Spurs sit in fifth place on the Premier League table, two points behind Manchester City in the last Champions League spot.

But the north London club can occupy fourth place over the weekend with a win against West Brom before City travel to Blackburn on Monday night.

Redknapp knows that West Brom will be tough opposition when they come to White Hart Lane, having lost only one of their last eight Premier League matches.

“We know it will be a tough game again tomorrow because West Brom have been in great form,” he said.

“So we’ve got to be at our best to try and win that game.”

Tottenham captured the last Champions League place with a dramatic win at Manchester City last season and Redknapp feels that his side have a tougher run-in than Roberto Mancini’s side this season.

“We’re in a position where we still have a chance, it will very tight obviously,” Redknapp added.

“We’ve got to keep going, I think we’ve got the tougher run-in of ourselves and Man City, there’s no doubt about that.”

“We’ve got to go to Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea.”

Defenders Ledley King (groin) and Jonathan Woodgate (calf) are both still unavailable for selection as is midfielder Wilson Palacios who is suffering with a knee injury.