Dejan Kulusevski has promised to rally round out-of-form Tottenham teammate Timo Werner.
Werner was replaced at half-time of Thursday’s 1-0 win over AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League after another mixed display where he squandered a gilt-edged chance in the 27th minute.
RB Leipzig loanee Werner recently deputised for injured captain Son Heung-min, a doubt for Sunday’s trip to Crystal Palace with muscle soreness, but has not scored in his last 16 appearances for Spurs.
“It happens to all of us,” Kulusevski insisted after Tottenham’s seventh victory in eight matches.
“Sometimes better games, sometimes a little bit worse.
“I love Timo as a guy. He won the Champions League, we can’t forget that. I respect him a lot. We are there for him and we are there for everybody, everyone improving together.”
Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou will continue to try and restore Werner’s confidence, but has acknowledged they need more from the ex-Chelsea forward.
He said: “We are talking to Timo constantly.
“We understand he is lacking some confidence at the moment and everyone has been working hard at that, but with all these things, ultimately it’s incumbent on him to use as much of the support he’s got around here to get himself out of it.
“Our role in that is to provide that support whether that’s internally or externally, whatever he needs.
“Obviously it’s then up to him to try to use that to get him back to the levels where he wants to be and where he can contribute for us.
“Like I said, with all the players what we try to do is provide an environment where should they need help, it’s readily available.
“We do need output and that’s the key part. Obviously when Mikey (Moore) was on with Brennan (Johnson), we were a threat on both
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Dejan Kulusevski
Tottenham Hotspur