Courtois and Kane face fitness fights for vital game

Chelsea are worried goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is losing his race to be fit for their crucial Premier League match against Tottenham.

Harry Kane, meanwhile, is working tirelessly to try to prove he can at least make the substitutes’ bench for the visitors.

Chelsea and Spurs will make late decisions over Courtois and Kane, but the Belgian had still not managed to train fully ahead of the weekend.

Courtois has been suffering with a hamstring injury that kept him out of the FA Cup success against Leicester City and forced him to withdraw from international duty with Belgium.

The 25-year-old had been hopeful of recovering in time to face Spurs tomorrow, but Chelsea have placed Willy Caballero on standby due to the failure of Courtois to train properly all week.

Antonio Conte, Chelsea’s head coach, refuses to take any chances over the fitness of his players, even in key games, and will not risk Courtois unless he can be convinced the keeper is ready.

Caballero has made 10 appearances for Chelsea this season since joining on a free transfer, but the 36-year-old has played only once in the Premier League for Conte’s team – in the 4-0 success over Brighton in January.

Mauricio Pochettino, the Tottenham manager, has refused to rule Kane out of his plans for the trip to Stamford Bridge, and Telegraph Sport understands the striker returned to training in a bid to be ready.

Kane has been out since March 11 after suffering ankle ligament damage against Bournemouth, but has made a quicker than expected recovery and is desperate to be part of the Tottenham squad tomorrow.

Chelsea hope that Andreas Christensen will be fit to take his place in the centre of the three-man defence against Tottenham after the Dane returned to training. Gary Cahill will deputise in the middle if he suffers a setback.