Tottenham to make late decision on Jan Vertonghen and Harry Kane fitness before Fulham FA Cup trip

Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed that manager Mauricio Pochettino plans to make a late decision on the availability of Jan Vertonghen and Harry Kane for Sunday's (19 February) FA Cup fifth-round trip to Fulham.

Influential defender Vertonghen has not played since suffering ankle ligament damage during a routine Premier League win over West Bromwich Albion in January. Kane picked up a minor knee problem towards the latter stages of last night's disappointing Europa League last-32 first-leg defeat to Gent.

"Jan has progressed well in his rehabilitation from an ankle injury sustained against West Brom on January 14 while Harry suffered a knock on his knee in the second half of our Europa League Round of 32 first leg against KAA Gent on Thursday night," Tottenham wrote on their official website.

"Both will train on Saturday and Mauricio will then decide whether or not to include them in the squad for Sunday's encounter at Craven Cottage."

Kane claimed after that narrow loss in Belgium that he "should be fine" to feature against Championship play-off chasers Fulham, while Pochettino, likely to make several personnel changes, insisted that a throng of players would need to be evaluated ahead of the all-London affair at Craven Cottage.

"I think we need to assess some players. Harry Kane got a knock on his knee, different players too," he said. "We need to refresh the team and we'll do that. Tottenham will play in Fulham on Sunday. It's not the name of the players, it's the club. We'll see, but we'll put out a team with aims to win and be ready again to compete."

Tottenham remain without Danny Rose this weekend, with the England left-back recovering from a knee injury picked up at Sunderland in January. Erik Lamela, absent since October due to a persistent hip issue and personal problems, is not yet ready to return either.

"Danny Rose is on plan, he's very positive, a good reaction after his injury," Pochettino said before the game in Ghent. "Erik Lamela is building step by step, positive too. We're happy with the way [the injured players] are training."

Fulham are set to welcome back Chelsea loanee Tomas Kalas for the visit of Spurs after hip trouble, although right-back Ryan Fredericks is still suspended. Manager Slavisa Jokanovic has already asserted that Marcus Bettinelli will start ahead of regular first-choice goalkeeper David Button after saving two Abel Hernandez penalties in the 4-1 fourth-round defeat of Hull City.