Tuchel plans for Kane return

LONDON • Tottenham are not as big a threat when striker Harry Kane is absent but Chelsea will plan for all contingencies in case the England captain does play in today's Premier League derby.

Kane, who has 12 goals and 11 assists in the top flight this season, missed Spurs' 1-0 defeat by Brighton on Sunday after picking up two separate ankle injuries in a 3-1 loss to Liverpool last week.

His manager Jose Mourinho then claimed the striker would be out for "several weeks" but yesterday revealed a much better prognosis, with a return to full fitness by next week.

Blues manager Thomas Tuchel, wary of Mourinho's penchant for mind games, said at his pre-match press conference yesterday: "It's always easier when Harry Kane is not playing.

"He's one of the best No. 9s in the world and when he's in shape, he is maybe the role model number nine that every coach wishes for - in terms of work rate and ability.

"His goalscoring is outstanding. We assume he will not play but we'll prepare for all cases."

While Kane is in contention for the Golden Boot, three goals behind Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (15), Chelsea forward Timo Werner has not scored in the league since November.

With just one goal in his last 17 games in all competitions, it is a barren run that belies his reputation as one of Europe's hottest strikers when he arrived for £47.5 million (S$86.5 million) last summer.

However, Tuchel hopes his fellow German can rediscover his scoring touch against familiar foes, having found the net at Spurs in the League Cup as well as during last season's Champions League when he was with Bundesliga side RB Leipzig.

"It's our responsibility to create moments where he can bring out his best, which means attacking the space in behind to use his speed," the former Paris Saint-Germain boss added. "We create situations with the whole team to use his strengths.

"He has good memories at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium."

The 47-year-old added he would make late fitness calls over defender Kurt Zouma and midfielder Kai Havertz but confirmed the rest of his squad would be available.

Despite Tuchel's cynicism, Kane, in all likelihood, will not have a part to play today.

Injuries could open the door for Dele Alli to resurrect his career, even though today's game will come too soon for him.

Mourinho handed Gareth Bale a chance by giving the on-loan Real Madrid forward just his second start in the league at Brighton, only for the Wales international to fail his audition. As such, the Portuguese hinted Alli, who has made only one start in the league all term, may yet have a role to play once he recovers from injury.

Spurs have won just two of their past nine league games and are in danger of being cut adrift of the top four, and Mourinho admitted he might turn to Alli for "some creation or some magic around the attacking areas".

The Portuguese added that he had no injury concerns except for Giovani lo Celso, who still needed another month to recover from injury. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

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