Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has revealed that striker Emmanuel Adebayor may not be ready to return to action until the Christmas period.

Adebayor hasn't featured for Spurs since before the last international break, and at his pre-match press conference ahead of the game with Crystal Palace, Pochettino has stated that the forward has been suffering with a back problem and a virus.

The 42-year-old told reporters: "After the international break, he came back with a problem with his back and after that, he picked up a virus.

"He's not ready to play. I spoke with him during training on Friday and he told me that he still feels weak and it might be a few games before he plays."

Adebayor has scored just twice in 12 games in all competitions this season.