The last time we welcomed today’s opponents Burnley to London for a Premier League meeting was a year ago this month, when a late Christian Eriksen strike proved to be the difference between the two sides. But one face in particular was missing from that game – that being Eric Dier.
The England international had been preparing for the game in the usual manner in the week leading up to the clash with the Clarets but, just days before kick-off, he was forced to pull out of the squad after he was diagnosed with appendicitis.
It was an illness that sparked a series of setbacks for the 25-year-old for much of the campaign that followed. Prior to that Burnley game, he had only missed 15 games for us in the last three seasons; this was a man not used to time on the sidelines.
The bout of appendicitis might have only kept Eric out of action for a few weeks, until the start of January this year but, by the end of that month, he was laid low again as a tonsil infection took hold. He made his comeback in our 1-0 Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund in the March yet, on international duty later that month, more frustration came​ as he suffered a hip injury in England’s 5-0 triumph over the Czech Republic.
He would recover for the end of the season run in, playing in our last three Premier League games, even scoring in the final day 2-2 draw with Everton before coming on as a second-half substitute in June’s Champions League Final. Eric then endured a stuttering start to the current season, starting just two of our opening 14 games but since the start of November, he has been almost ever-present for us, lining up in all but two of our games.
And, reflecting on what has been a testing year to say the least, the former Sporting Lisbon player admits he’s delighted to be back fit and getting minutes on the pitch as he looks to kick on and continue to develop his game.
This story is from the Spurs v Burnley edition of Tottenham Hotspur Publications.
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This story is from the Spurs v Burnley edition of Tottenham Hotspur Publications.
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