Toby Alderweireld
Alderweireld missed the Champions League draw with Bayer Leverkusen but is not expected to spend a lengthy spell out injured Getty Images

Tottenham Hotspur will again be without defender Toby Alderweireld for the Premier League clash against AFC Bournemouth but manager Mauricio Pochettino remains hopeful of calling on Danny Rose for the clash on the south coast as the north Londoners close in on the top spot. Victory over The Cherries will see Spurs leapfrog Manchester City, ahead of Pep Guardiola's side's game against Southampton.

Alderweireld went off with a knee injury in the draw with West Bromwich Albion and missed the Champions League draw with Bayer Leverkusen. Though any substantial damage has been ruled out the Belgium international will be absent for a second match in succession as a timeline over his potential return remains a mystery.

Striker Harry Kane continues to recover from having suffered ankle ligament damage against Sunderland last month, but the trip to the Vitality Stadium comes too soon for Tottenham's premier frontman, who scored 25 top flight goals last term. The burden of trying to send the White Hart Lane club top of the table will again lay at the feet of Vincent Janssen – who is without a league goal this season since joining from AZ Alkmaar.

Rose meanwhile left the Bayer Arena on Tuesday [18 October] wearing a protective boot after kicking an opponent during the 0-0 draw, but the blow is understood not to be serious. The England international has already missed seven games for Tottenham this term with a hamstring injury and could ill-afford another spell on the sidelines.

"We need to assess him [Rose] tomorrow," Pochettino told reporters, according to the Hertfordshire Mercury. "He kicked an opponent against Leverkusen. His foot is bruised. We will see tomorrow if he is available or not," he said. "So far nothing serious but it's painful. Tomorrow we assess and decide whether he's available."

"For Toby the scan is clear but he is still feeling pain in his leg, he is recovering well but we need to wait. Like Harry, he is not available for weekend. But we are happy because it's not a big, big issue but it was a very heavy knock, still painful. We need to see how it reacts every day.

"We're happy with him, he's going very well. Today he started to touch the ball alone and do some exercises with sports science. He is positive and we are positive about him. We assess him every day but he is not available this weekend, it is going well. You always ask me when but it is difficult, it's how his ankle reacts every day. Today we are happy, going well, but we will see what happens."