Hiddink: Pavlyuchenko situation problematic

The 27-year-old joined Spurs from Spartak Moscow for £14 million a year ago, but now finds himself the fourth-choice front-man at White Hart Lane behind Robbie Keane, Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch.

Pavlyuchenko scored 14 times in 36 appearances in all competitions in 2008/09, including netting in every round of the Carling Cup apart from the final.

However, he has featured just three times in all competitions so far this term.

And after the striker sustained an injury in training ahead of Russia's 1-0 defeat to Germany at the weekend, former Chelsea chief Hiddink has admitted that the front-man's lack of playing time is disturbing.

"I'm concerned. Pavlyuchenko has no match practice at Tottenham and his body seems to be unaccustomed to intense stress," he said in the Daily Mail.

"I can't say that we had an intense workout, but I've connected the nature of his injury with a lack of match practice for Roman. You can't say he is immune from the same stresses in the match against Germany.

"The fact that he doesn't play, and wasn't even in the squad for the last match, disturbs both us and him."