"Is it a chance to rest him? Maybe yes," Pochettino told reporters at his pre-match news conference.
"He is in the squad but it is true we need to assess him and we still have to decide the starting 11."
Dembele picked up a stomach bug, but the return of Nabil Bentaleb and Nacer Chadli means that the manager will not be short of options in midfield.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
Bentaleb picked up a foot injury while playing for Algeria in November, while Chadli injured an ankle in the 0-0 draw with Liverpool on Oct. 17.
Ryan Mason is still recovering from the ankle injury he sustained against Chelsea on Nov. 29, but Pochettino said the midfielder was likely to return to training next week.
(Reporting by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru; editing by Sudipto Ganguly)
