ARE LIONS ABLE TO TAME KANE?
Arsenal fan Shaun: We have a plan
HE WAS ecstatic after scoring the winner for Millwall against Leicester – and Shaun Cummings will be even happier if he can help keep Harry Kane and Co quiet this afternoon.
League One Millwall – the only EFL team to reach the FA Cup’s last eight – face a major task when they take on Premier League high-fliers Tottenham at White Hart Lane.
The Lions have been scroogelike in defence over the last couple of months, conceding just two goals in their last 13 games, but they will have to be at their meanest to stop red-hot Kane and earn a semi-final spot at Wembley.
Former Millwall loanee Kane has grabbed three hat-tricks in his current run of 15 goals in 13 games and will be the obvious danger man for Neil Harris’ troops.
“Harry Kane has been on fire lately. He’s a very good player, but we’ve worked on that on the training pitch and we’ll do all we can to keep him as quiet as possible,” said Cummings, 28, who has an extra incentive for victory, being an Arsenal fan.
“But they’ve got a lot of quality in their team. Aside from Kane, they’ve got Dele Alli, Son (Heungmin) and (Christian) Eriksen. That front four is a topclass one.
“We just need to keep doing what we’ve doing in defence and try to keep things as tight as possible.” Millwall have shut out three Premier League teams so far in the Cup – beating Bournemouth (3-0), Watford (1-0) and Leicester (1-0) at The Den. Cummings notched the second in the win against the Cherries, but it was his last-gasp goal against champions Leicester in the last round that really raised his profile. With the Lions, down to ten men following Jake Cooper’s sending-off, seemingly holding out for a replay, Cummings coolly tucked home the winner, showing off his past as an attacking player.
Another goal at the Lane today would be perfect…
Popped
“To get a goal against the champions that put the team through, I don’t think there are words to express how happy I was, even though I didn’t probably look happy from the celebration,” he smiled.
“I used to be a striker, so I dug my striking ability out of the cupboard.
“I’ve popped up with a couple of goals when I’ve had the opportunity to go forward.
“To help out the team and add to that tally would be great.”
It’s an exciting time for Millbeen wall. As well as reaching the FA Cup quarter-finals, the southeast London club have pushed themselves into the top six in League One after a difficult start to the season.
With the hangover of losing last season’s play-off final well and truly shaken off, the Lions are unbeaten in their last 17 matches in all competitions, but what of Cummings’ future beyond May?
“The manager (Neil Harris) has said he wants me to stay and I’ve told him I want to stay,” explained Cummings, whose contract expires at the end of the campaign.
“So, in terms of that, we just have to find grounds to move forward.
“It’s only been in the last few days that the manager has said that he wants me to stay, so we’ll see what happens.”