The full story of Oliver Skipp's painful injury and why Conte is so happy to have him back

There's a light at the end of the tunnel for Oliver Skipp when it comes to his awkward pelvic problem.

Injuries or ailments are always frustrating for footballers but the 21-year-old's issue is perhaps worse because it's in a rather sensitive part of the body. The problem for the Spurs midfielder has come with his pubis symphysis, a joint in the pelvic area. It's been a painful one and it's through no fault of his own, just something that can occur through a heavy workload.

That has certainly come in the past 18 months or so. Last season, the then 20-year-old Skipp started 34 of Norwich's 36 matches as a vital part of their Championship title-winning side and he played almost every minute for them.

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It was his first season as an ever-present professional in the first team game and then he returned to Spurs, having developed in leaps and bounds, and both Nuno Espirito Santo and then Antonio Conte used him extensively, both realising how important he was becoming to the team with his energy and box-to-box ability.

In all Skipp has played 85 matches so far in just two seasons - 75 for his two clubs and 10 for the England U21s. That's a lot for a young midfielder whose only regular football previously had been a couple of years before at academy level against fellow youngsters.

The only real cure for his problem has been rest and that has been the most frustrating thing for him and for Conte.

Every time he felt like he was getting somewhere, there would be a setback, including an infection, and he would feel pain again, bringing more frustrated comments from Conte in his press conferences, mostly at the expense of the medical