Tottenham Boss Offers Fitness Update On Kane, Alli & Alderweireld Ahead Of Chelsea

Premier League football returns this weekend as Tottenham Hotspur take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon.

Mauricio Pochettino has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference this afternoon and provided a team news and injury update ahead of the game.

The Spurs boss offered the latest on Harry Kane and confirmed the striker is progressing well in training as he bids to make his comeback from an ankle ligament injury.

Kane sustained the injury during Tottenham’s win over Bournemouth on March 11 and was initially expected to be ruled out for around six weeks but he’s set for a swift return to action.

Pochettino says the 24-goal forward will need to be assessed over the next few days before a decision is made but he didn’t rule Kane out of playing a part against Chelsea this weekend.

The Spurs boss also provided an update on Dele Alli and insists the attacker is fully fit and available for selection despite concerns over his dip in form for club and country recently.

Pochettino gave little away when asked about Toby Alderweireld being in contention for a starting spot at Stamford Bridge as the centre-back looks to make his first Premier League appearance of 2018.

Alderweireld played twice in the FA Cup back in February but aggravated a hamstring injury that’s hampered him for much of the campaign and hasn’t featured in the league since late October.

However, the Belgian international has worked on his fitness during the international break and should be in contention to face Chelsea this weekend but Pochettino says he hasn’t decided on his starting eleven just yet.

Pochettino is quoted as saying by Football London:

Harry Kane update?
We need to assess him, he is very positive and is doing very well, every day he is improving. We need to assess, there is still a few days to the game. It’s difficult now to say yes or no to be involved in the game.

Positive news nonetheless?
I can not say no, I can not say yes. If not this weekend maybe next weekend, but the most important is that we are so positive about his recovery, he is doing fantastic, we are so happy because after Bournemouth everybody believed it might be a long period out, but i think the evolution was fantastic.

How is Alli fitness wise?
I don’t know, I wasn’t in the training sessions with the national team. For us today he was very good, he was fresh, he was fit and I am happy with the way he showed his fitness and I think it’s normal day’s training with the rest of the group.

Is Toby Alderweireld back in contention for Sunday?
Like always, with the squad we need to decide first of all the starting XI and then the players that will on the bench. We are lucky that all the players are fit and then it’s about balance.

Tottenham head in to the weekend action sitting fourth – five points clear of fifth-placed Chelsea – so the result at Stamford Bridge on Sunday will go a long way to determining who qualifies for the Champions League.