Tottenham's Randal Kolo Muani to play in protective mask after avoiding surgery

The French striker suffered the injury during a first-half collision with Manchester United defender Harry Maguire in Spurs' 2-2 Premier League draw against Manchester United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday. 

Kolo Muani was substituted before half time and later withdrew from the France squad for their upcoming fixtures.

A specialist assessment on Monday confirmed that the 26-year-old, who is on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, will not require surgery, a relief for both the player and Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank. However, medical staff have recommended he uses a mask to speed up his return.

"It is a painful one for Randal but the news is as good as we could have hoped," a Tottenham source said. "He is a strong character and wants to get back playing as soon as possible."

Kolo Muani's loan spell in north London has already been disrupted by injury setbacks. After making his debut as a substitute in the Champions League against Villarreal on September 16, he missed five games due to a training ground dead leg. He returned with an assist in Spurs' 4-0 European win over Copenhagen last week and was beginning to find rhythm before this latest setback.

Tottenham are facing a mounting injury list ahead of their crucial North London derby against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium when the Premier League resumes on November 23.

Record signing Dominic Solanke is yet to start a match this season following minor ankle surgery on October 1, while Mathys Tel, who replaced Kolo Muani against United, is unavailable for Champions League selection due to squad registration limits.

Spurs will also travel to face Kolo Muani's parent club PSG in the Champions League at the Parc des Princes on November 26, with the Frenchman eligible to play under the terms of his loan. 

Frank will be hoping his striker recovers in time, as Tottenham aim to maintain their strong start across domestic and European competitions.

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