Published: 22 November, 2012
OFF THE SHELF with DAN CARRIER

EMMANUEL Adebayor has apologised to fans for his 17th-minute sending off against his former club Arsenal in the derby on Saturday.

The striker, who had put Spurs a goal in front, recklessly dived into a challenge on Santi Cazorla in a moment of madness that changed the game in favour of the Gunners.

After watching his team-mates go on to suffer a 5-2 defeat, Adebayor said: “I was genuinely trying to win the ball and probably stretched my foot out a bit too far in the heat of the moment. Nobody could have felt more devastated than me as I walked off the pitch. I so much wanted to help Tottenham win and thought for a moment that I’d actually set that win up when I scored. But football changes so quickly.”

Adebayor will now serve a three-match ban, missing home games against West Ham and Liverpool along with a trip to Fulham.

Spurs’ manager Andre Villas-Boas has been handed some good news with the return to training of his talismanic midfielder Scott Parker. 

Parker hasn’t played since appearing in England’s last Euro 2012 game against Italy after suffering from a perpetual achilles tendon problem. But after an operation, he has now hit the training ground and could be match-fit in time for the Christmas programme.