The Citizen (KZN)

Spurs trio fit to face United

- London

– Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane (below) will start in tonight’s Premier League clash at home to Manchester United after a six-month absence, according to manager Jose Mourinho.

Son Heung-min and Moussa Sissoko, who like Kane were ruled out by serious injuries when the Premier League was suspended three months ago, are also set to face United.

The news is a big boost to Tottenham as they try to revive their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League, having slipped to eighth in the standings, four points behind fifth-placed United and seven points behind fourthplac­ed Chelsea.

Kane ruptured a tendon in his hamstring on 1 January while Son broke his arm against Aston Villa in February. Midfielder Sissoko had right knee surgery in January.

“The ones that had surgeries, Kane, Son and Sissoko have all recovered and are ready to play,” Mourinho, who will be going up against the club that sacked him last season, told a news conference held via Zoom yesterday.

“Kane is working extremely well, I can tell you no problem, he is going to start the game. Does he have 90 minutes, 80, 70, 60? I don’t know. Only the game will tell us that.

“Is he in his top of his form? We don’t know. He’s had six months without a match but he’s an amazing profession­al.”

Mourinho said that while the return of Kane and Son, who have scored 20 league goals between them this season, is timely, the battle to finish in the Champions League places is an uphill challenge for Spurs.

“It would be amazing if we all started with the same number of points, but that’s not the case,” Mourinho said. “We start minus seven or eight from Chelsea, and minus 13 from Leicester, we start minus too many teams but it’s a great challenge and motivation for us.” –

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