Tottenham boosted ahead of Bournemouth clash as Danny Rose and Erik Lamela near first-team returns after lengthy injury absences

  • Tottenham host Bournemouth at Wembley in Saturday's Premier League clash
  • Erik Lamela and Danny Rose both returned to training after lengthy injury spells
  • Lamela hasn't featured in the first-team for Spurs in 12 months since his injury
  • Harry Kane will look to maintain momentum from before the international break  
  • Jan Vertonghen insisted Romelu Lukaku will be Kane's golden boot challenger

Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham have been boosted ahead of their Premier League visit of Bournemouth on Saturday as Danny Rose and Erik Lamela move ever closer to returning to first-team football after lengthy spells on the sidelines.

Lamela's Spurs story took another nasty blow last October when he was forced off as Liverpool dumped Pochettino's side out of the League Cup, while Rose has been sidelined since January with a knee injury.

While they will not return for the visit of Bournemouth to Wembley Stadium on Saturday the Argentine manager will take positives as the pair continue their reintegration back into first-team football.

Erik Lamela (left) continues to make progress towards his return to the Tottenham first-team

Erik Lamela (left) continues to make progress towards his return to the Tottenham first-team

While Danny Rose also nears a return as Mauricio Pochettino is boosted at Spurs training

While Danny Rose also nears a return as Mauricio Pochettino is boosted at Spurs training

Rose has been linked with a move away from Spurs with Manchester United interested

Rose has been linked with a move away from Spurs with Manchester United interested

Spurs have been preparing for the clash at their Enfield training centre with Harry Kane looking a happy employee as he hopes to carry on where he left off before the international break.


Kane netted twice when Spurs ran out easy 4-0 victors at Huddersfield before the international break, during which Kane solidified England's World Cup qualification.

Spurs were preparing for their return to Premier League action against Bournemouth

Spurs were preparing for their return to Premier League action against Bournemouth

Harry Kane will need to continue his goalscoring form to keep Romelu Lukaku at bay

Harry Kane will need to continue his goalscoring form to keep Romelu Lukaku at bay

Tottenham striker Harry Kane is of interest to Real Madrid and Manchester United

The Tottenham striker has netted 11 goals in nine games for Mauricio Pochettino's side

It was the 24-year-old's fourth brace of the season, and he almost managed a second hat trick before being substituted.

Also in action was Harry Winks, fresh from his England debut and Moussa Dembele, who was left out of the Belgium squad for their final two qualifiers after an injury scare, while Jan Vertonghen was absent after captaining his country to a 4-0 win over Cyprus on Tuesday night.

Harry Winks was all smiles at their Enfield base after making his international debut

Harry Winks was all smiles at their Enfield base after making his international debut

While summer signing Serge Aurier also enjoyed himself in the build up to Saturday's game

While summer signing Serge Aurier also enjoyed himself in the build up to Saturday's game

Season at a glance

  • Premier League
  • Premier League
  • Championship
  • League One
  • League Two
  • Scottish Premiership
  • Scottish Div 1
  • Scottish Div 2
  • Scottish Div 3
  • Ligue 1
  • Serie A
  • La Liga
  • Bundesliga

According to Sky Sports, Vertonghen, who became Belgium's most capped player of all time in the victory with his 97th appearance, has tipped Romelu Lukaku to remain a threat to Harry Kane's golden boot this season.

'In my eyes it is difficult to split them. I think they will keep playing for the Golden Boot until the last game of the season like they did last year,' he said. 'Obviously Romelu is in great form. Harry is special as well. I can't find the words to describe them enough.

'They're both totally different, to be honest.' 

Moussa Dembele was ruled out of Belgium duty through injury so was present in Enfield

Moussa Dembele was ruled out of Belgium duty through injury so was present in Enfield

While countryman Jan Vertonghen (right) was absent after becoming Belgium's most capped international with 97 appearances but has given his views on Romelu Lukaku and Kane

While countryman Jan Vertonghen (right) was absent after becoming Belgium's most capped international with 97 appearances but has given his views on Romelu Lukaku and Kane

Lukaku has adjusted quickly to the expectations that come with being a Manchester United front-man, scoring seven in his first seven top-flight games, as well as netting three times in their first two Champions League encounters. 

The former Chelsea and Everton striker faces his biggest test to date in a United shirt as he faces a trip to bitter rivals Liverpool on Saturday.   

Meanwhile Kane, who has claimed the golden boot for the past two seasons, sits one behind in the race for the award but has found the net five times in his first two games in Europe's elite competition.

Kane scored the crucial goal to send England to next summer's World Cup
But Vertonghen believes Lukaku will take Kane all the way in the race for the golden boot

After both strikers scored during the international break for their countries Vertonghen believes Lukaku (right) can threaten Kane for the top-flight golden boot this season