Arsenal vs Tottenham: Harry Kane and Mousa Dembele to start north London derby

Kane has been absent since damaging ankle ligaments in September

Jack Pitt-Brooke
Saturday 05 November 2016 20:11 EDT
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Harry Kane is making a slow but gradual return to the game
Harry Kane is making a slow but gradual return to the game (Getty)

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Harry Kane has passed a late fitness test and will start for Tottenham Hotspur against Arsenal on Sunday.

The England striker has been out for seven weeks with an ankle injury but was ruled fit by Mauricio Pochettino on Saturday, and will return to the team for the north London derby.

Kane was initially feared to be out for eight to ten weeks when he damaged ankle ligaments against Sunderland on 18 September.

Tottenham were optimistic after a positive scan in late September and Sunday’s game at the Emirates has been the target ever since.

Spurs have been waiting for Kane’s return ever since his injury. They have scored just two goals in their last five games, both of those penalties, as results in the Premier League and Champions League have tailed off.

Pochettino has been relying on Vincent Janssen and Heung-Min Son up front, but on Sunday he will have his main striker back.

Belgium international Mousa Dembele is also winning his fitness battle after limping out of Spurs’ 1-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen at Wembley this week.

Dembele only lasted 30 minutes of the game on Wednesday but his injury is not thought to be serious and he has been included in Belgium’s squad for their internationals next week.

20-year-old Harry Winks was lined up to start if Dembele was not ready, but the Belgian midfielder was understood on Saturday night to be close to proving to Pochettino that he was fit to start.

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