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Tottenham fear that Jermain Defoe could be out for up to two months with ankle ligament damage.

The England striker, already withdrawn from this week’s Brazil squad, left West Brom in a protective boot after twisting his ankle in the first half of yesterday’s 2-1 win.

He will have an X-ray and an MRI scan today to determine the extent of the damage.

Defoe’s absence - for a minimum of three weeks - has also seen Tottenham’s gamble to not buy a striker last month blow up spectacularly in their faces.

Emmanuel Adebayor - their only other frontman - is on his way home after Burkina Faso beat Togo in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals last night.

Adebayor’s return would still only leave Spurs with one fit striker and boss Andre Villas Boas revealed yesterday he is now considering playing matchwinner Gareth Bale as a striker at home to Newcastle next week.

AVB said: “When we played pre-season he played alone in America. It is something he feels comfortable with.

“He gives us even that possibility for sure. It is something we have to look to.”

Villas Boas even suggested Spurs could emulate European and World Champions Spain by continuing without a striker.

He said: “We create a lot in terms of attacking football. There was a team who were world champions that play without a striker.

“It is within their culture. It is a bit different here in England but you just have to adapt to it in the best way you can.”

(Image: Getty)

Spurs are anxiously hoping the injury is not a recurrence of the ligament damage that sidelined him for eight weeks after England’s 3-1 win over Switzerland in September 2010.

As was the case back then, the club are waiting for the swelling to go down before they can determine the extent of the damage.

As things stand, Defoe stands to miss the game against the Magpies and both legs of the clubs Europa League knockout tie against French club Lyon.

Villas Boas, went on: “Hopefully there is not a lot of ligament damage. If there is, it could be up to two or three weeks to recover.

“Obviously we took the risk because we felt we had options.

“Still we are safe with the options we have. We create a lot as a team. Our goals come from different sources and once again Bale has done the business.

“He is having a great season so far. But it is a setback because Defoe means a lot to us as a team, as a person and as a player.”