Tottenham Hotspur's worst fears over the fitness of Michael Dawson were confirmed on Thursday night when the England centre-half was ruled out for the rest of the season, and effectively the summer's European Championship, after suffering ruptured ankle ligaments.

Dawson, capped four times, landed awkwardly after leaping with Chris Beardsley early in Spurs' FA Cup fifth-round replay against Stevenage at White Hart Lane on Wednesday night and departed the field on a stretcher. Harry Redknapp had admitted in the aftermath that it would be "a miracle" if the defender returned before the end of the domestic campaign, an assessment that proved accurate, with scans on the joint on Thursday suggesting the 28-year-old will be out for 10 to 12 weeks.

The news represents a considerable blow to Redknapp – whose options at centre-back appear limited for the run-in – and Dawson, who had returned to first-team contention only in January after four months out with an achilles injury. The player had still harboured hopes of stating his case for inclusion in the England squad for Euro 2012. But, having been called up as a replacement for the injured Rio Ferdinand at the 2010 World Cup finals, he now appears certain to miss the summer tournament in Poland and Ukraine.

Spurs continue to assess the severity of a hamstring injury sustained by Aaron Lennon in the 3-1 win over the League One side, with the winger unlikely to be fit for the weekend trip to Everton when third-placed Tottenham aim to halt a run of successive league defeats.