Pavlyuchenko faces a race against time to be fit to face Arsenal
Tottenham have been rocked by the news that striker Roman Pavlyuchenko will be out for three weeks after suffering a partially torn ankle ligament injury.
The 26-year-old was forced off during Spurs' defeat by Hull at the weekend and faces a race to be fit for the derby clash at Arsenal on 29 October.
The news comes as another blow to the Londoners, who are enduring their worst start to a league season since 1912.
"Roman will undergo further treatment on the injury," read a club statement.
The loss of Pavlyuchenko leaves Darren Bent and loanee Fraizer Campbell as Tottenham's only first-team strikers.
And even though the former Spartak Moscow frontman is yet to score for Spurs in the league, his absence is sure to be felt by a side that has only found the net four times in their opening seven games, the worst scoring record in the top flight.
The injury will also keep Pavlyuchenko out of Russia's World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Liechtenstein this week.
Meanwhile, the club have revealed winger Aaron Lennon has been forced to pull out of England's under-21 squad to face Wales in the European Championship play-off on Friday due to a knee problem.
Scotland right-back Alan Hutton is continuing his rehabilitation after suffering a foot injury in pre-season.
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