Harry keeps on Salah’s coat-tails in bid for Golden Boot

IN THE pursuit of Liverpool’s Mo Salah and the Golden Boot, Harry Kane refuses to give way. When the chance presented itself, Kane took it. The goal arrived shortly after the interval, as he slashed home after diligent work by Son Heung-min. The strike deflected in off Brighton defender Bruno. On the terraces, some joked that Brighton might launch an appeal to claim the own goal. Ha-ha. Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochttino rested key players, most notably Dele Alli and Davinson Sanchez. Mousa Dembele also took his place on the subs bench with an eye toward Saturday’s FA Cup semifinal against Manchester United. Kane, however, is always a fixture and he now has 26 Premier League goals to his name. Salah has 30 and, to most, such a gap looks insurmountable with only four games to play. Kane’s self-belief has sound foundations. He ended last season with eight goals in his final three games and he clearly has designs on a similar streak to end this campaign. He may also sense a chance to capitalise on Salah enjoying some rest from domestic action as Liverpool pursue success against Roma on the continent. Yet Kane’s clinical edge must improve if he is to chase down the Egyptian. Before this draw with Brighton, Salah averaged a goal every 85.8 minutes in the Premier League this season, compared to Kane’s one every 105.5 minutes. And prior to his goal here, Kane had scored one goal in his past six games — although he did go off after half an hour with an injury at Bournemouth and also entered the stage late on in the victory at Chelsea. Yet by his standards, it has been a lean spell, even with the hotly contested strike that he claimed from his own team-mate Christian Eriksen at Stoke. The fallow period would have been hurting him. In Pochettino’s book Brave New

World, he recalls a period when Kane endured 10 matches without a goal. He described the striker as ‘awash with doubts’. ‘I showed him some videos and said to him, “You’re Harry Kane... if Harry Kane doesn’t do what Harry Kane does...”’ But Kane is more experienced. And to quote his boss, he carries on doing what Harry Kane does. MARCOS ALONSO is set to miss Chelsea’s FA Cup semifinal against Southampton on Sunday after being charged with violent conduct. Alonso will be banned for three games after a high tackle on Saints striker Shane Long on Saturday. He has until 6pm today to respond.