Adebayor not forced to training with youth team, says Pochettino

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has denied reports that striker Emmanuel Adebayor has been forced to train with the youth team.

Adebayor has not featured for Spurs' senior side since the second leg of their League Cup semi-final against Sheffield United in late January.

But, speaking ahead of Saturday's Premier League game against relegation-threatened London rivals QPR, Pochettino said of Adebayor: "Always he trains with the first team. Is he part of my plans? Yes. Yes, all the players are with us in the first team."

Tottenham are six points adrift of fourth-placed Manchester United in the race for Champions League football and will need to be defensively sound against a QPR team featuring striker Charlie Austin, who has scored 15 goals this season.

"It's not easy because maybe seven or eight teams fight for it [the top four]," Pochettino added. "We need to go step by step, improve in our philosophy.

"We are in a good process. My worry now is always to improve. To learn and improve.

"We expect a very tough game. QPR are a strong team, they are playing at home and it will be a very difficult game. It's a local derby and the three points will be important for them and for us.

"Charlie Austin is a very good player; he has scored a lot of goals. We need to focus on him and [Bobby] Zamora, who is another good player."