Mauricio Pochettino says injured Tottenham players Harry Kane and Toby Alderweireld are keen to return to action as soon as possible due to their punishing training regimes.

Kane is sidelined with ankle ligament damage while Alderweireld has a knee problem, which has ruled both men out of Saturday's Premier League clash against Leicester.

But the pair are progressing well and could yet hand Pochettino a significant boost by being deemed fit enough to feature in next week's crucial north London derby at the Emirates Stadium.

Spending time on the sidelines is often cited as a period of recuperation for players but Pochettino is adamant his injured charges eye speedy returns to escape gruelling double sessions.

"They are not frustrated, that's a word we don't like to use," Pochettino told his pre-match news conference.

"They feel very well, they're working very hard and they suffer a lot.

"Do you know why they want to be available quickly? Because we kill them when they are injured.

"They have double sessions every day, and they suffer, to keep fit then," Pochettino insisted.

Spurs are the only remaining side in England's top tier with an unbeaten record and could open up an 11-point gap over the champions with victory at White Hart Lane this weekend.

Mauricio Pochettino's best results as Tottenham boss 24 show all Mauricio Pochettino's best results as Tottenham boss 1/24 A new era begins..... May 28 2014: Mauricio Pochettino signs a five year deal to become Tottenham's new manager. Getty Images 2/24 Tottenham 5 Chelsea 3 1 January 2015 - Harry Kane announces himself on the big stage as Spurs sweep Jose Mourinho's men aside at the Lane. Getty Images 3/24 Tottenham 2 Arsenal 1 7 February 2015 - Spurs come from behind to see off the Gunners and climb one point above their rivals. 4/24 Tottenham 4 Manchester City 1 26 September 2016 - Manuel Pellegrini's side have no answer to a potent Spurs attack and are powerless to prevent a rout. 5/24 Tottenham 4 West Ham 1 22 November 2015 - Spurs come flying out of the blocks and put a talented Hammers team to the sword with another four-goal haul. 6/24 Manchester City 1 Tottenham 2 14 February 2016 - Christian Eriksen caps a superb away performance at the Etihad Stadium. Pochettino leads the passionate celebrations at full time. AFP/Getty Images 7/24 Tottenham 3 Manchester United 0 10 April 2016 - Louis van Gaal's side are blown away in six second-half minutes. Getty Images 8/24 The next chapter.... Mauricio Pochettino reaches a verbal agreement to extend his contract until 2021. 9/24 Tottenham 2 Manchester City 0 2 October 2016 - An Aleksandar Kolarov own goal and a Dele Alli strike help Spurs sweep Pep Guardiola's men aside. Getty Images 10/24 Tottenham 2 Chelsea 0 4 January 2017 - Dele Alli scores twice to help Spurs bring Chelsea's 13-game winning streak to an end. Getty Images 11/24 Tottenham 2 Arsenal 0 30 April 2016 - Harry Kane and Dele Alli are on target as Spurs confirm a superior league finish to their rivals for the first time since 1994-95. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 12/24 Tottenham 2 Manchester United 1 14 May 2016 - Spurs bid farewell to White Hart Lane in style with Victor Wanyama and Harry Kane on target for the Lilywhites. AP 13/24 Tottenham 3 Borussia Dortmund 1 13 September 2017 - Tottenham banished last season's European disappointment with a thumping opening win at Wembley. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 14/24 Real Madrid 1 Tottenham 1 17 October 2017 - A depleted Spurs impressed in the Bernabeu to record a vital Champions League point. Getty Images 15/24 Tottenham 4 Liverpool 1 22 October 2017 - Spurs put their top four rivals in their place with a resounding win under the arch. Stu Forster/Getty Images 16/24 Tottenham 3 Real Madrid 1 1 November 2017 - Tottenham follow up their result in Madrid with a memorable victory over the Champions League holders at Wembley. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 17/24 Juventus 2 Tottenham 2 13 February 2018 - Tottenham fightback from being 2-0 down inside ten minutes to claim a memorable draw. However, they would lose the second leg 2-1 at Wembley. Getty Images 18/24 Chelsea 1 Tottenham 3 1 April 2018 - Spurs record their first win at Stamford Bridge since 1990 thanks to goals from Christian Eriksen and a Dele Alli double. REUTERS 19/24 Barcelona 1 Tottenham 1 11 December 2018 - A draw a Camp Nou clinched Tottenham's progression to the Champions League knock-out stages. AFP/Getty Images 20/24 Tottenham 3 Dortmund 0 13 February 2019 - Tottenham thump the Bundesliga side in the first leg of their Champions League Last 16 tie. REUTERS 21/24 Dortmund 0 Tottenham 1 5 March 2019 - Harry Kane's goal sealed a 4-0 aggregate win and an impressive 1-0 victory in Germany. Bongarts/Getty Images 22/24 Tottenham 1 Man City 0 9 April 2019 - Heung-min Son scored the only goal of the game as Tottenham won the opening leg of their Champions League quarter-final. AP 23/24 Man City 4 Tottenham 3 Fernando Llorente was the hero for Tottenham as his late goal sent Spurs through to the Champions League semi-finals on away goals. Mike Egerton/PA Wire 24/24 Ajax 3 Tottenham 3 Lucas Moura's stunning hat-trick saw Spurs come from behind to book their place in the Champions League final. Getty Images 1/24 A new era begins..... May 28 2014: Mauricio Pochettino signs a five year deal to become Tottenham's new manager. Getty Images 2/24 Tottenham 5 Chelsea 3 1 January 2015 - Harry Kane announces himself on the big stage as Spurs sweep Jose Mourinho's men aside at the Lane. Getty Images 3/24 Tottenham 2 Arsenal 1 7 February 2015 - Spurs come from behind to see off the Gunners and climb one point above their rivals. 4/24 Tottenham 4 Manchester City 1 26 September 2016 - Manuel Pellegrini's side have no answer to a potent Spurs attack and are powerless to prevent a rout. 5/24 Tottenham 4 West Ham 1 22 November 2015 - Spurs come flying out of the blocks and put a talented Hammers team to the sword with another four-goal haul. 6/24 Manchester City 1 Tottenham 2 14 February 2016 - Christian Eriksen caps a superb away performance at the Etihad Stadium. Pochettino leads the passionate celebrations at full time. AFP/Getty Images 7/24 Tottenham 3 Manchester United 0 10 April 2016 - Louis van Gaal's side are blown away in six second-half minutes. Getty Images 8/24 The next chapter.... Mauricio Pochettino reaches a verbal agreement to extend his contract until 2021. 9/24 Tottenham 2 Manchester City 0 2 October 2016 - An Aleksandar Kolarov own goal and a Dele Alli strike help Spurs sweep Pep Guardiola's men aside. Getty Images 10/24 Tottenham 2 Chelsea 0 4 January 2017 - Dele Alli scores twice to help Spurs bring Chelsea's 13-game winning streak to an end. Getty Images 11/24 Tottenham 2 Arsenal 0 30 April 2016 - Harry Kane and Dele Alli are on target as Spurs confirm a superior league finish to their rivals for the first time since 1994-95. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 12/24 Tottenham 2 Manchester United 1 14 May 2016 - Spurs bid farewell to White Hart Lane in style with Victor Wanyama and Harry Kane on target for the Lilywhites. AP 13/24 Tottenham 3 Borussia Dortmund 1 13 September 2017 - Tottenham banished last season's European disappointment with a thumping opening win at Wembley. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 14/24 Real Madrid 1 Tottenham 1 17 October 2017 - A depleted Spurs impressed in the Bernabeu to record a vital Champions League point. Getty Images 15/24 Tottenham 4 Liverpool 1 22 October 2017 - Spurs put their top four rivals in their place with a resounding win under the arch. Stu Forster/Getty Images 16/24 Tottenham 3 Real Madrid 1 1 November 2017 - Tottenham follow up their result in Madrid with a memorable victory over the Champions League holders at Wembley. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 17/24 Juventus 2 Tottenham 2 13 February 2018 - Tottenham fightback from being 2-0 down inside ten minutes to claim a memorable draw. However, they would lose the second leg 2-1 at Wembley. Getty Images 18/24 Chelsea 1 Tottenham 3 1 April 2018 - Spurs record their first win at Stamford Bridge since 1990 thanks to goals from Christian Eriksen and a Dele Alli double. REUTERS 19/24 Barcelona 1 Tottenham 1 11 December 2018 - A draw a Camp Nou clinched Tottenham's progression to the Champions League knock-out stages. AFP/Getty Images 20/24 Tottenham 3 Dortmund 0 13 February 2019 - Tottenham thump the Bundesliga side in the first leg of their Champions League Last 16 tie. REUTERS 21/24 Dortmund 0 Tottenham 1 5 March 2019 - Harry Kane's goal sealed a 4-0 aggregate win and an impressive 1-0 victory in Germany. Bongarts/Getty Images 22/24 Tottenham 1 Man City 0 9 April 2019 - Heung-min Son scored the only goal of the game as Tottenham won the opening leg of their Champions League quarter-final. AP 23/24 Man City 4 Tottenham 3 Fernando Llorente was the hero for Tottenham as his late goal sent Spurs through to the Champions League semi-finals on away goals. Mike Egerton/PA Wire 24/24 Ajax 3 Tottenham 3 Lucas Moura's stunning hat-trick saw Spurs come from behind to book their place in the Champions League final. Getty Images

Claudio Ranieri has warned Spurs his side will be at their "best" and Pochettino expects the fight to dethrone Leicester to go down to the wire.

"It is a very competitive season and there a lot of teams that are fighting to be on top of the table.

"This season will be tough and competitive. Maybe we need to wait until the last game to see which club will win the Premier League."