Mauricio Pochettino gives Harry Kane a chance of surprisingly early return from injury for Spurs against Chelsea

Injured striker given a slender hope of returning from an ankle injury ahead of schedule to try and end Tottenham’s dismal run of results at Stamford Bridge

Harry Kane is in with a chance of returning for Spurs against Chelsea this weekend (Getty)

Harry Kane could make a startling recovery in time to feature in Tottenham’s Premier League game against Chelsea this Sunday, according to his manager Mauricio Pochettino. Kane suffered an ankle injury in the 4-1 win against Bournemouth three weeks ago that forced him out of England’s last two games, and was initially expected to put him out for over a month.

But after what Pochettino described as a “positive” recovery, he did not rule out the - admittedly small - possibility that Kane may be able to play some part in this weekend’s crunch London derby.

“We need to assess him,” Pochettino said. “He is very positive and doing very well. Every day he is improving. We need to assess in the next few days. It’s difficult now to say yes or no. I cannot say no, but I cannot say yes.

“Maybe it will be next weekend [the trip to Stoke on 7 April]. But the most important thing is that we are so positive about his recovery, and he is doing fantastic, and we are so happy. After Bournemouth, everybody believed it would be a long period out, but the resolution has been fantastic.”

Tottenham have not won in the league at Stamford Bridge since 1990, when Pochettino was still a teenager. Naturally, Pochettino was keen to play down the significance of that particular statistic, and focused on the opportunity to claim three points and put eight points between the two teams in the race for the fourth Champions League place.

“History is history, and it is there, but it is not going to help,” he said. “That is not what counts.”

Mauricio Pochettino does not believe Spurs' torrid form at Chelsea will be a factor (Getty)

“It’s always a massive game, because it’s a London derby. When you play this type of game, the pressure is for both teams. Of course, there are still a lot of games to play. This is not a final, this is not a decisive game. But always, it is important for your confidence, your motivation, and to win at Chelsea would be fantastic for everyone. They are a very good team, and always it is tough to compete with them.”