Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino will reportedly leave it late to decide whether or not Harry Kane and Jan Vertonghen can feature against Fulham in their FA Cup tie this weekend.
The two sides meet at Craven Cottage on Sunday with Spurs hoping to bounce back after disappointing defeats to Liverpool and Gent this past week.
Despite the fact that it would seem as though this is Tottenham’s best chance of silverware this season, it remains to be seen whether or not Pochettino goes with a strong side or opts to make changes again to rotate and give other individuals an opportunity.
He may be forced into it to an extent though, with the Evening Standard reporting that both Kane and Vertonghen will face late fitness tests to determine whether or not they are able to feature.
The prolific Spurs striker suffered a minor knee problem in the closing stages of the loss at Gent, while his Belgian teammate has been sidelined since mid-January with ankle ligament damage.
It’s claimed in the report that the pair will both take part in training on Saturday, and that will be the biggest indication yet as to whether or not they’ll be passed fit to play.
It would be a massive boost for Tottenham to have the influential pair available for selection, with Vertonghen’s absence evidently having an impact at the back.
However, Pochettino will not want to rush either man back too soon and risk seeing them suffer a setback either, and with so many crucial fixtures coming up, the last thing he needs is to see them sidelined again for a significant period of time.