Graham Potter has vowed to look after his players as muscular injuries mount up in the Premier League.

Players have been going down at a greater rate than usual so far this season after the unique nature of the stop-start, Covid-affected summer.

Potter and Albion’s off-field staff have been handling players including Adam Lallana, Joel Veltman, Steven Alzate and now Danny Welbeck with care in the opening weeks of the season.

Lallana was taken off after an hour of the 1-1 draw with West Brom on Monday, a move which led to criticism.

Potter did not mention Lallana specifically as he spoke to the media today ahead of Sunday’s game at Tottenham.

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But, answering a question about the increase in injuries this term, he appeared to be make a reference to that decision to remove Lallana from the action against the Baggies.

He said: “It’s a concern. It’s a challenge. On the one hand, if you look after players and maybe manage their minutes, you can get killed for bringing them off.

“That’s again the world we are in.

“We have to take the responsibility and do the best certainly for the individual first and then try to make the best of a tough situation.

“You have got people coming in from tough situations, different levels of fitness.

“Some of our players have played after lockdown and have played in the premier League.

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“The small break means that they don’t have to do too much because their fitness is there.

“Some, like Joel Veltman for example, have come from Holland. They stopped in lockdown so it’s a completely different situation.”

He added, with a sense of irony: “The reality of it is we are not necessarily human. We dehumanise footballers, dehumanise people, so it doesn't really matter, does it, if they get injured, I guess?"