Tottenham’s plans for Sunday’s Premier League trip to Newcastle have been plunged into chaos after two players tested positive for coronavirus.

Both men, who trained with the group on Thursday, were shown to have contracted Covid-19 after tests in the last 24 hours.

The two unnamed players must now isolate for 10 days as per Government rules, keeping them out of the game at St James’ Park, a Europa Conference League match against Vitesse Arnhem and the London derby at West Ham next weekend.

Both players are due to be retested on Saturday, as per standard procedure.

The club are understood to be confident that no other players will have to isolate having come into close contact.

In his press conference on Friday afternoon, Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo admitted that he has been left with “huge issues” following the latest international break.

The news will bring more frustration for Nuno, who saw his side suffer in the wake of September’s international fixtures when some squad members returned injured and three South American players went to Croatia for 10 days in order to avoid hard quarantine in England.

“After the international break there are always huge issues that happen,” Nuno said. “We have problems but I will not say before the game.”

Spurs’ South American quartet of Cristian Romero, Giovani Lo Celso, Davinson Sanchez and Emerson Royal had not arrived back from international duty when Nuno addressed the media on Friday.

The Spurs boss said he has not ruled out using them, while the loss of two first-team players could increase the chances of them featuring, despite Romero, Lo Celso and Emerson all having played in the early hours of Friday morning.

“They are travelling now,” Nuno said. “They will join us tomorrow (Saturday) and then we’ll see.

“The reports that we have is that they finished their games well. Some of them played 90 minutes, Davinson Sanchez no, but what we are expecting is for them to join us and then we’ll see.”

Spurs signed off before the international break with a 2-1 win against Aston Villa, which left them eighth in the Premier League table, just four points behind leaders Chelsea.

Nuno: Kane needs help to get back in the scoring groove

Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo believes there is nothing to suggest Harry Kane will not come good but has vowed to help him on and off the pitch.

Kane is enduring his worst run of Premier League form since 2015, having not scored in six games this season, while his performance for England in their 1-1 draw with Hungary in midweek has attracted plenty of criticism.

Nuno insists it is only a matter of time before Kane finds his scoring boots and wants to help provide him with the best conditions.

“I am being very honest, I don’t see anything different,” Nuno said. “Just realising that will happen, happens naturally as Harry is a fantastic football player, one of the best in the world.

“So we have to provide things to happen. Sometimes he needs time. His game goes much more beyond goals, the work he does for the team is immense and really helpful.

“As a team we need to provide as a team, as a club and when I say club we need to realise it is like that sometimes you are on top of the world and sometimes you are not.

“But you always need the same support and everyone should be supportive of our players, especially our fans.

“I support them with the training session and I support them with the solutions I think are better for them.

“I support them when I need to speak with them. Every time. There is no difference on how I deal with Harry and how I deal with Dane (Scarlett) for example.

“They are different people and each and everyone needs different things and it is up to us to find the right moments to do it and always being helpful and supportive.”

© PA Nuno has not ruled out using the club’s South American players on Sunday despite their late return from international duty

Source: Skysports.com