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LONDON -- Tottenham Hotspur will be without Toby Alderweireld in the Premier League for the first time since he joined the club after Mauricio Pochettino ruled the defender out of Saturday's match at Bournemouth. Alderweireld missed just one minute of last season -- limping off in stoppage time of the infamous 2-2 draw at Chelsea in May -- but he will join Harry Kane on the sidelines at Dean Court. The Belgian centre-half was stretchered off at West Bromwich Albion last weekend and he missed Tuesday's 0-0 draw at Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League. Saturday's league match will be Tottenham's first without him since May 2015. "The scan is clear but he is still feels pain in his leg, he is recovering well but we need to wait," Spurs manager Pochettino told a news conference. "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." Kane has been absent since the 1-0 win over Sunderland on Sept. 18 but he started light training on Monday and Pochettino revealed he had begun working with the ball on Thursday morning. "We're happy with him, it's going very well," the Spurs manager said. "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." Danny Rose is a doubt for the trip to the South Coast after bruising his foot in Germany. The left-back, who missed five matches with a hamstring strain in September, left the BayArena in a protective boot. "We need to assess tomorrow. He kicked an opponent against Leverkusen. His foot is bruised. We will see tomorrow if he is available or not. So far nothing serious but it's painful. Tomorrow we assess and decide whether he's available." Kyle Walker, rested in Leverkusen, is expected to return at right-back, while Mousa Dembele could start for only the second time this season after appearing as a sub in Germany. Spurs can go top of the Premier League if they beat the Cherries in the early kick-off on Saturday and Pochettino believes there is no better motivation for his players. "It must be a big motivation for us, to finish the game and to be top of the table. A better motivation or better place to play is impossible. Today the atmosphere was very good on the training ground. Our players are conscious about that. "It's a good chance to see us at the top of the table but first we need to win the game. Bournemouth are a very good team, have a great manager in Eddie Howe. It will be a very tough game."
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