Unstoppable Kane matches Gerrard's magnificent seven

Harry Kane continued his single-handed assault on the record books when he scored Tottenham Hotspur’s opening goal in their comeback 2-2 draw at Juventus in the Champions League last 16, first leg on Tuesday.

Kane’s 35th minute effort was his seventh goal in the competition this season -- matching Steven Gerrard whose seven for Liverpool in the 2008-09 campaign had stood as a record for an English player.

Not only that but Kane’s nine-goal haul from his first nine games is more than any other player in the history of Europe’s blue-riband club competition -- one more than the quartet of Ronaldinho, Simone Inzaghi, Didier Drogba and Diego Costa.

Kane has scored nine goals in his last eight games in all competitions and has 33 for the season -- more than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues.

The 24-year-old, who this month reached 100 Premier League goals in only 141 appearances, could have added to his tally on Tuesday but for two great saves by Juve’s veteran keeper Gianluigi Buffon in the first half.

With the twice Premier League Golden Boot winner in this sort of form, however, Tottenham will feel they can topple Juventus in the second leg at Wembley next month -- indeed they will be favourites to do so.

Kane, who bagged Tottenham’s winner against rivals Arsenal last weekend, paid tribute to the way his team mates recovered from conceding twice in the first nine minutes on Tuesday -- Gonzalo Higuain striking twice for the hosts.

“We could have capitulated, away from home in the Champions League. It showed character,” he said.

“It was an excellent performance after that and we take two away goals to Wembley. A great result.”

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said his side had been sloppy in the opening 10 minutes but felt they should have been celebrating a victory after recovering to enjoy 62 percent of the possession against a side starting with seven of the players who began last year’s final against Real Madrid in Cardiff.

His opposite number Massimiliano Allegri said his side had been taken aback by Tottenham’s riposte.

“We started very well but then we struggled to keep the ball because Tottenham were playing so well,” he said.

“After going 2-0 up, we did not decide to defend deep, Tottenham forced us to. After their second goal, however, we were the more dangerous side.”


source: news agency

Kane wants Tottenham to replicate United form against Liverpool

London: Tottenham Hotspur must replicate the form they displayed to outclass Manchester United in midweek if they are to get past an in-form Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League on Sunday, striker Harry Kane said.

Tottenham produced a dominant display to beat United 2-0 at Wembley on Wednesday, scoring through midfielder Christian Eriksen on 11 seconds before United defender Phil Jones turned Kieran Trippier’s cross into his own net on the hour mark.

Kane said the fifth-placed London club cannot let their guard down against Liverpool, after suffering a 2-0 defeat in the corresponding fixture last season.

“We have got to put in the same performance as we did against United,” Tottenham’s top scorer Kane said.

”Liverpool are a strong team, especially at home when they are on the attack. They have some fast players and last season we didn’t cope with that very well.

“We were poor throughout the whole team, but we can take confidence from the United game. This is the kind of performance we need to produce against the big teams both at home and away.”

Tottenham beat Juergen Klopp’s side 4-1 when the two teams met earlier this season but third-placed Liverpool are a tougher prospect at home, where they are unbeaten in 14 league matches.

“We played well against Liverpool at Wembley so we have to go to Anfield full of confidence,” Kane added.

Midfielder Lucas Moura, Tottenham’s new signing from French club Paris St Germain, watched on as the London club beat United and Kane said he was looking forward to seeing what the Brazilian brings to the table.


source: news agency

Guardiola and Kane win December Premier League awards

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was named December's Premier League manager of the month for a record fourth consecutive time, while Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane equalled Steven Gerrard's tally with his sixth player of the month award.

Kane scored eight goals in six matches last month, including back-to-back hat-tricks against Burnley and Southampton, to finish 2017 with a record tally of 39 Premier League goals.

The 24-year-old is now level with former Liverpool and England midfielder Gerrard with six player of the month awards, the most for any player in the competition's history.

Kane claimed the prize ahead of seven other nominees - Chelsea's Marcos Alonso, West Ham United's Marko Arnautovic, Liverpool duo Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah, Jesse Lingard of Manchester United, Leicester City's Riyad Mahrez and Manchester City's Nicolas Otamendi.

Guardiola's team remains unbeaten and 15 points clear at the top of the league standings.

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte had been the only previous coach to win the award three times in a row during Chelsea's title winning campaign last season.

To win the December prize, Guardiola topped a six-man shortlist that also included Conte, Everton's Sam Allardyce, Roy Hodgson of Crystal Palace, Liverpool's Juergen Klopp and Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Source: News Agency

Tottenham chief says Kane, Alli not for sale

LONDON: Tottenham entertain Everton on Saturday with assurances from chairman Daniel Levy that the likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli will not be leaving this month or at the end of the season.

Mauricio Pochettino's side are currently out of the Champions League places, although they can draw level on points with fourth-placed Liverpool if they win at Wembley and overtake Jurgen Klopp's side if they beat the Toffees by five goals or more.

But the club have a new 61,500-seat stadium to pay for at a time when rivals with deeper pockets are eyeing some of their top performers.

Top scorer Kane is reportedly coveted by Real Madrid and the Champions League holders have also been linked with midfielder Alli, along with Paris Saint-Germain. Left-back Danny Rose is believed to be a target for Manchester United.

But Levy has made it clear that the current window is a time for squad-strengthening, not weakening, and said he would reject any unwanted offers in the summer as well.

"I'm 100 per cent confident," he said. "Every single player that we want to keep, I can assure you will be playing for Tottenham Hotspur next season.

"Mauricio's strategy has always been that if an opportunity arises that he thinks can improve the squad then we will need to look at it, but January is always a very difficult window."

Levy is in negotiations with Alli over a new contract that would bring him roughly into line with the money paid to Kane, who is Tottenham's highest earner and who may be granted a contract upgrade himself soon.

Midfielder Harry Winks is a doubt against Everton because of an ankle injury, Rose is set to miss out because of a knee problem while centre-back Toby Alderweireld is working his way towards a comeback from a hamstring tear sustained in early November.

The encouraging start to Sam Allardyce's reign as Everton manager has faded in recent weeks. The Toffees have not won in five matches and are out of the FA Cup following a painful third-round defeat at Liverpool last week.

Defender Mason Holgate was involved in a confrontation with Roberto Firmino at Anfield that could have consequences for both players.

Having claimed he was racially abused by the Liverpool striker, Holgate himself is reportedly facing the prospect of Football Association action for alleged homophobic tweets sent from a now-deleted Twitter account more than five years ago.


There is better news elsewhere for Allardyce, with right-back Seamus Coleman back in training after nine months out with a broken leg and Turkey striker Cenk Tosun set for his debut after completing his £27 million ($36 million, 30 million euros) move from Besiktas.

Captain Phil Jagielka has acknowledged that Everton have to be better in attack, saying: "The gaffer does not say to us that the be all and end all is to defend and we forget about going forward.

Source: News Agency