Mauricio Pochettino hopeful Harry Kane will return for North London derby

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has suggested that Harry Kane will return to action in Sunday's North London derby against Arsenal at the Emirates.

The striker has been on the sidelines for the past six weeks after suffering ankle ligament damage during Spurs' 1-0 victory over Sunderland in September.

The 23-year-old completed half of today's training session before working on his rehabilitation separately, but will not be in the squad for Wednesday evening's Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen at Wembley.

Defender Toby Alderweireld will also sit out of the European game due to a knee injury, and the Belgium international remains a doubt for this weekend's derby after suffering a setback.

"Tomorrow Harry will not be available, no. He will not be on the bench," Pochettino told reporters in a press conference. "It's good to see him do the warm-up with the team, and be involved. He made half a training session. Then it was a specific training session for him, and for Toby it was the same.

"We expect maybe Thursday Harry can do full training. Toby, maybe, but he has some other problem."

Pochettino has admitted concerns that if Kane features against Arsenal at the weekend, he could receive a call-up to Gareth Southgate's England squad for upcoming internationals.

"It's difficult to stop. If I select him to play on Sunday against Arsenal, we open the door for the national team to select him too," said Pochettino. "If he is available for Sunday and the doctor says he can, I think we are not stupid to keep Harry out to try to protect him. We need to understand we want the best for the team and the player.

"Maybe it makes more sense for the national team to say 'okay stay at Tottenham', for Harry's fitness, but if they want him to play we cannot stop it.

"We are pro-national team for all the players. If Gareth calls me and ask for my opinion then, okay, I will give my advice but I will not call him. He is the manager of the national team."

Meanwhile, Erik Lamela is a doubt for tomorrow's Champions League match due to a hip problem that he suffered in training.