Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld will be out until February with a hamstring injury.

Alderweireld sustained the injury against Real Madrid on November 1 and the Belgian is now expected to miss another eight weeks of competitive action.

It means the defender is likely to sit out crunch Premier League games against Manchester City and Manchester United but could return in February for matches against Liverpool and Arsenal.

Spurs then face Juventus in the first leg of the Champions League last 16 on February 13.

"We cannot change the reality. The reality is that he is injured and cannot play until February," Pochettino said.

"With him or without him we win and we lose.

"The manager always wants all the players fit like Victor Wanyama or Danny Rose and Erik Lamela before.

"You miss the players who are not fit but football is a collective sport about the team not individuals.

"Some players have more influence on the team. But we have squad enough and players who can play."