Tottenham striker Harry Kane sustained an ankle injury against Millwall
On Sunday Tottenham cruised to a 6-0 win over League One side Millwall to book their place in the semi-final of the FA Cup.
However, it was not all good news for Spurs, as the Premier League’s top scorer Harry Kane sustained an ankle injury early in the game.
The England international walked off the pitch but was later pitched on crutches with a protective boot on his foot.
The nature of Kane’s injury will be revealed by a scan later today. It seems everybody of the Spurs persuasion are fearing the worst, though.
Injury similar to earlier in the season
Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino stated after the Millwall that the injury looked to be similar to the one that Kane suffered earlier this season that sidelined the striker for five Premier League games. Kane absence coincided with Spurs worse spell of the campaign.
The side from north London understandably struggled for goals without their talismanic striker. If Kane had not sustained that injury then they may have been closer to league leaders Chelsea in the table at the moment.
The signs that Tottenham relies on the striker for goals were there for all to see in that poor run of form in Kane’s absence. Pochettino’s team may have scored six goals against Millwall, but with all due respect to Neil Harris’ side, they are a League One team. Playing against Premier League opposition it will be more difficult for Spurs to find the net.
Unconvincing replacements
Yesterday the goalscoring hero of the game was South Korean international Heung-Min Son, who was moved into a central striker role, scoring a hat-trick in the process. Son is versatile but has struggled for game time for Tottenham of late.
The former Hamburg star has scored just twice in 13 games in the Premier League. The lack of regular action may have majorly contributed to that stat, though. Son has arguably actually performed better as a winger than when playing as a central striker in north London.
The other alternative for Tottenham is the only out-and-out striker in the squad apart from Kane in Vincent Janssen. The Dutch international has very much played second fiddle to Kane since his summer arrival in north London.
The former AZ Alkmaar star has scored just once in the Premier League. However, he did also get on the scoresheet against Millwall, his first goal from open play in 30 appearances for Spurs. Janssen’s performances really have been unconvincing for Spurs.
Questions have been asked about the 22-year-old’s ability to play in the English top-flight. There was even a joke going around social media yesterday that Janssen has finally found his level and it is League One.
Janssen may now get a chance to prove his doubters wrong, which could be a major task considering his poor displays in a Tottenham shirt so far.
Spurs top-four chances could be affected
Tottenham are currently second in the Premier League and odds of 1/6 to finish in the top four this season. A spell on the sidelines for Kane could well derail that bid for the top four.
The team from north London does have other quality players like Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen that chip in with goals. However, Kane is the focal point of the attack and without a doubt one of the best strikers in the Premier League.
Any team would miss a player of his quality, so everybody connected with Spurs will hope that Kane is no ruled out for long. Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino seemed highly pessimistic about Kane’s situation after the Millwall game, though.
One positive for Spurs is that they have some favourable fixtures to come in the next few weeks, plus an international break, so hopefully, they can maintain their position until Kane returns.
Tottenham have been one of the best teams to watch in the Premier League this season. For me, they are well deserving of a top-four spot. It would be a shame for them to miss out because their star player has suffered such bad fortune.
Will Harry Kane’s injury affect Tottenham’s bid for a top-four finish?
- Soccer News Like
- Be the first of your friends!
