• England striker has been out since September with ankle ligament damage • Kane will go straight back into the starting lineup at the Emirates on Sunday

Harry Kane will start for Tottenham in Sunday’s north London derby at the Emirates, with the striker’s return from a long injury hiatus a huge boost for Mauricio Pochettino’s side.

The striker has been absent with ankle ligament damage since the middle of September and had been expected to make his comeback against Arsenal. That Kane will be among the starting XI is a distinct positive for a side without a win in six games in all competitions and who have scored just three times in that barren spell, two of those goals coming from the penalty spot.

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Pochettino is also hopeful that Mousa Dembélé will be fit enough to be among the starters after the midfielder twisted his ankle in the midweek Champions League defeat to Bayer Leverkusen at Wembley. Harry Winks had been on standby to make to make his first Premier League start but the richly promising 20-year-old midfielder is now expected to be among the substitutes.

Kane returned to full training on Thursday and his manager has clearly decided that if he is fit enough to be in the squad, he is fit enough to start. Kane has scored in each of the previous three league derbies against Arsenal, including two in the 2-1 home win in February 2015.

Kane will be hoping for a recall when Gareth Southgate names what could be his final England squad today and only an adverse reaction to his comeback against Arsenal would prevent him returning.