Posted on Sep 16

Tottenham Hotspur left-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto is set to be sidelined for four weeks with a knee injury, manager Andre Villas-Boas confirmed Sunday.

The Cameroon defender has been a regular for Spurs during the last four seasons but missed Sunday's 3-1 win away to Reading -- the London club's first in the Premier League this term and first under Portuguese boss Villas-Boas -- with a niggling injury and is now set for minor surgery.

"Benoit has a small fragment in his knee that makes it swell a lot," Villas-Boas said.

"He has played through pain in the last couple of games. His knee may have to be washed up and if that happens we are looking at a four-week absence."

Kyle Naughton usually plays at right-back but he covered Assou-Ekotto's position against Reading.

Villas-Boas can also field Jan Vertonghen at left-back, where he has played several times for Belgium.