Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko admits he feared the worst after coming off second best in a tackle with Portsmouth midfielder Sean Davis on Sunday.

"When it happened the pain was so unbearable that I feared the worst," the striker told the Russian media. "But fortunately it turned out to be just a huge bruise on my shin. Thank God, the bones are intact.

"The medics told me I'm going to miss one game definitely - and maybe more. With the corner of my eye I saw Davis flying to crash into me.

"I did everything to get to the ball first. In the English Premier League you won't make it into the squad if you pull your legs away fearing tackles."

Pavlyuchenko, 27, said he bears no grudges against Davis.

"It was a fight for the ball," he said. "It was a bad tackle but not a deliberate one. I accepted his apologies and it's OK by me now."

The player will be out for Wednesday's League Cup match against Burney but hopes to be back soon for Spurs' League schedule.