Tottenham's Jan Vertonghen has insisted he was not dropped over fitness concerns and says his absence from the team has fuelled a desire to play as much as possible.

Vertonghen made his first appearance of the season in Sunday's 2-2 draw at Arsenal, having been a surprise omission from Mauricio Pochettino's XI for the matches against Aston Villa, Manchester City and Newcastle.

The Spurs manager reportedly felt Vertonghen, who has entered the final year of his contract, was not as fit as his other centre-halves but the 32-year-old insisted that was not the case.

"No, no, no – I came back fit. I played in every pre-season game and I didn't miss a [training] session," Vertonghen told Standard Sport.

"Like the manager explained before the first game against Villa, it was a tactical decision and I respect that decision. We players have to accept his decisions. I'm very, very happy to be back."

In Pictures | Arsenal vs Tottenham, north London derby | 01/09/2019 89 show all In Pictures | Arsenal vs Tottenham, north London derby | 01/09/2019 1/89 AFP/Getty Images 2/89 Getty Images 3/89 EPA 4/89 Getty Images 5/89 Getty Images 6/89 AFP/Getty Images 7/89 AFP/Getty Images 8/89 AP 9/89 REUTERS 10/89 AFP/Getty Images 11/89 AFP/Getty Images 12/89 REUTERS 13/89 AFP/Getty Images 14/89 Action Images via Reuters 15/89 AFP/Getty Images 16/89 AFP/Getty Images 17/89 AP 18/89 AFP/Getty Images 19/89 REUTERS 20/89 AFP/Getty Images 21/89 Getty Images 22/89 Getty Images 23/89 AP 24/89 Action Images via Reuters 25/89 REUTERS 26/89 AFP/Getty Images 27/89 Getty Images 28/89 AFP/Getty Images 29/89 AFP/Getty Images 30/89 AFP/Getty Images 31/89 AFP/Getty Images 32/89 REUTERS 33/89 AP 34/89 REUTERS 35/89 AFP/Getty Images 36/89 REUTERS 37/89 AFP/Getty Images 38/89 EPA 39/89 AP 40/89 AP 41/89 REUTERS 42/89 Action Images via Reuters 43/89 AFP/Getty Images 44/89 AFP/Getty Images 45/89 AFP/Getty Images 46/89 AFP/Getty Images 47/89 Getty Images 48/89 REUTERS 49/89 Action Images via Reuters 50/89 AP 51/89 Action Images via Reuters 52/89 REUTERS 53/89 EPA 54/89 Getty Images 55/89 AFP/Getty Images 56/89 AFP/Getty Images 57/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 58/89 Getty Images 59/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 60/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 61/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 62/89 Action Images via Reuters 63/89 Getty Images 64/89 Action Images via Reuters 65/89 Getty Images 66/89 PA 67/89 PA 68/89 Action Images via Reuters 69/89 REUTERS 70/89 Action Images via Reuters 71/89 EPA 72/89 EPA 73/89 EPA 74/89 Action Images via Reuters 75/89 EPA 76/89 Getty Images 77/89 Getty Images 78/89 Getty Images 79/89 Getty Images 80/89 Getty Images 81/89 Getty Images 82/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 83/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 84/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 85/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 86/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 87/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 88/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 89/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 1/89 AFP/Getty Images 2/89 Getty Images 3/89 EPA 4/89 Getty Images 5/89 Getty Images 6/89 AFP/Getty Images 7/89 AFP/Getty Images 8/89 AP 9/89 REUTERS 10/89 AFP/Getty Images 11/89 AFP/Getty Images 12/89 REUTERS 13/89 AFP/Getty Images 14/89 Action Images via Reuters 15/89 AFP/Getty Images 16/89 AFP/Getty Images 17/89 AP 18/89 AFP/Getty Images 19/89 REUTERS 20/89 AFP/Getty Images 21/89 Getty Images 22/89 Getty Images 23/89 AP 24/89 Action Images via Reuters 25/89 REUTERS 26/89 AFP/Getty Images 27/89 Getty Images 28/89 AFP/Getty Images 29/89 AFP/Getty Images 30/89 AFP/Getty Images 31/89 AFP/Getty Images 32/89 REUTERS 33/89 AP 34/89 REUTERS 35/89 AFP/Getty Images 36/89 REUTERS 37/89 AFP/Getty Images 38/89 EPA 39/89 AP 40/89 AP 41/89 REUTERS 42/89 Action Images via Reuters 43/89 AFP/Getty Images 44/89 AFP/Getty Images 45/89 AFP/Getty Images 46/89 AFP/Getty Images 47/89 Getty Images 48/89 REUTERS 49/89 Action Images via Reuters 50/89 AP 51/89 Action Images via Reuters 52/89 REUTERS 53/89 EPA 54/89 Getty Images 55/89 AFP/Getty Images 56/89 AFP/Getty Images 57/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 58/89 Getty Images 59/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 60/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 61/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 62/89 Action Images via Reuters 63/89 Getty Images 64/89 Action Images via Reuters 65/89 Getty Images 66/89 PA 67/89 PA 68/89 Action Images via Reuters 69/89 REUTERS 70/89 Action Images via Reuters 71/89 EPA 72/89 EPA 73/89 EPA 74/89 Action Images via Reuters 75/89 EPA 76/89 Getty Images 77/89 Getty Images 78/89 Getty Images 79/89 Getty Images 80/89 Getty Images 81/89 Getty Images 82/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 83/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 84/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 85/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 86/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 87/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 88/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 89/89 Arsenal FC via Getty Images

The situation fuelled speculation that Vertonghen's absence was contract-related and, asked if he was any closer to signing a new deal, the Belgian said: "No. I just want to focus on football now.

"When you don't play, you realise how important it is and it's extremely important for me. I've been so long with the guys, I love the club and I just want to play as much as I can.

"I feel great and I just want to help the club to win trophies."

Vertonghen, who has been named in the Belgium squad for Euro 2020 qualifiers in San Marino and Scotland, added: "I don't feel like we need the [international] break.

"We love to play football together and I think everyone can't wait for two games a week to get back in that good feeling. With Tottenham I prefer to play every three or four days."

In common with Spurs' other defenders, Vertonghen was unconvincing as the visitors squandered a commanding two-goal lead courtesy of Christian Eriksen and Harry Kane's penalty to leave them without a win since the opening day, but two points better off from last season's corresponding fixtures at City and Arsenal.

Vertonghen allowed Alexandre Lacazette to skip past him for Arsenal's crucial first goal seconds before half-time before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ghosted into the channel between him and Danny Rose to set-up a nervous final 20 minutes for Spurs.

"I'm experienced and fit enough to get back into the rhythm and it was just the goal before half-time that gave them the spirit to get back in the game," Vertonghen said.

"If we just killed the first half and go into the dressing room with that good feeling it's a different game.

"It was very frustrating. We did well, we defended well, we were good in possession, created loads of chances, were 2-0 up so it was just great in this derby away. So we have to go in the dressing room 2-0 up."

It was the first time Spurs have squandered a two-goal lead since the infamous Battle of the Bridge at Chelsea in May 2016 and the sixth time in nine years they have blown a lead at Arsenal.

Pochettino, who expects to welcome back Kyle Walker-Peters, Juan Foyth, Ryan Sessegnon and Tanguy Ndombele after the international break, praised Davinson Sanchez's shaky performance at right-back, saying: "That conceded in the last action of the first half gave the belief to Arsenal, it was a big emotional hit for us.

"Davinson's performance was great. I think, Hugo [Lloris], him, Harry Winks and Christian Eriksen were on the top of the performance. Then the rest of the team were fantastic too."