Eric Dier has a ‘50%’ chance of facing Crystal Palace on Saturday, according to Premier Injuries. The 25-year-old has been out of action since late-August with a hip injury and may not be risked this weekend – Mauricio Pochettino can still call upon Moussa Sissoko, Harry Winks and Victor Wanyama in midfield.
Dier was an unused substitute against Aston Villa (August 10), Manchester City (August 17) and Newcastle United (August 25) but missed the North London derby with Arsenal (September 1). He’s spent the majority of 2019 sidelined with various injuries, making only 11 appearances in all competitions this year.
The England international has so far amassed a paltry 592 minutes of football in 2019 and finds himself below Tanguy Ndombele, Sissoko, Winks and Wanyama in the pecking order. Dier may have more chance of getting playing time as makeshift centre-back than in midfield which doesn’t bode well for his long-term future.
The 25-year-old is back in training, however, so he faces a race to be fit in time for Saturday. That being said, it’s unlikely he’d be in the starting XI given Pochettino has only started Dier in four Premier League games since the turn of the year.
He will be assessed for selection.