Asteras Tripolis v Tottenham: Kane out to impress in Greece

Tottenham’s UEFA Europa League tie at Asteras Tripolis gives Harry Kane another chance to make his case for a start and an England call-up.

The young striker came off the bench to swing Sunday’s Premier League match at Aston Villa in Spurs’ favour, scoring a late free-kick as the visitors battled from behind to win 2-1.

Another impressive performance has increased the pressure on head coach Mauricio Pochettino to hand the 21-year-old a first league start of the season.

Kane has scored nine times in 13 appearances this term, including a hat-trick in the home meeting with Asteras, a result that sent Tottenham top of Group C ahead of Thursday’s return fixture.

But having been deployed primarily in the cup competitions, Sunday’s strike was his first in the league, while Nacer Chadli, who scored Spurs’ first goal against Villa, is the club’s top scorer domestically.

Chadli feels the cup competitions allow all the club’s stars to shine and believes Kane is destined for greater things.

“Everybody gets time to play as we play in the Europa League, in the Capital One Cup, the FA Cup soon and the Premier League, so there are a lot of competitions. Everybody gets to play minutes. So the manager has choices,” Chadli told the Daily Mail.

The Belgian has been so impressed by Kane that he is backing the striker for an England call-up – despite having no idea who he was when he joined the club last year.

“Why not? It is up to him and the manager of the national team. He has a lot of quality and he can have some impact in the game,” Chadli added.

“When I came to Tottenham I had not heard of him. But I am used to training with him and I can see that he is a very talented man and I can see that he has a great future.”

Tottenham’s future in the Europa League looks a lot brighter after their 5-1 thrashing of Asteras at White Hart Lane last time out in the competition.

Pochettino’s men had drawn their opening two games before that victory, but now top the group with three games to play.

Spurs are only ahead of Besiktas on goal difference, however, and travel to Istanbul in the final group game, placing greater importance on returning with maximum points from this trip to Greece.

But if they are to do so, Tottenham will have to become the first team to win at Theodoros Kolokotronis Stadium this season.

The defeat at White Hart Lane was Asteras’ only loss in their last 11 matches and only Olympiacos have taken points off them in the three games since.