Kane can do things Maradona could not

CONTE LAUDS HARRY’S VERSATILITY UP FRONT

ANTONIO CONTE says Diego Maradona once gave him the runaround but claims not even the all-time great could do what Mr Unpredictable Harry Kane can.

Former Tottenham winger David Ginola compared Kane to Argentina genius Maradona recently, because of the way the Spurs player drops into a No.10 role to create goals for his team-mates.

Spurs head coach Conte actually played against Maradona, right, who is widely regarded as the perfect 10.

And while Conte knows Kane is not in that class just yet, the Italian believes the England captain has the edge when it comes to playing his two forward roles equally well.

Conte said: “When I was playing for Lecce, my role was to mark, man to man, the No.10. I was lucky, or maybe not lucky, to mark Maradona when Napoli played Lecce.

“The game ended 3-2 to Napoli. And I scored! My first goal in Serie A. When I was only 19. For sure this game is impressed in my mind because I marked Diego and I scored. I was very happy, despite the defeat.

“They are two different players, honestly. Maradona was a No.10, not a No.9. Harry, he was born a striker. “But he has the talent and quality to play like a No.10, with another striker in front of him. I like to have him as a striker. “Two different players with different characteristics.”

Kane’s surge in form as a goal maker as well as a goal taker has sent Spurs roaring into fourth spot, putting the heat on Arsenal.

Since the turn of the year no other Premier League team have scored more goals than Tottenham’s 30.

And they have now scored 43 in their 20 top-flight matches under the Italian.

In Premier League history, the only managers to see their teams score more goals in their first 20 games in charge at a club are Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea in 2009 (45 goals) and Manuel Pellegrini at Manchester City in 2013-14 (57 goals). Conte, whose side

face Aston Villa today gunning for a fourth-placed finish, believes their recent form in front of goal is down to Kane’s ability to switch from one role to another in the blink of an eye.

He said: “Honestly, I prefer Harry like No.9, because when he stays in the box or the edge of the box he has great quality – right, left, also with a header, he has great potential.

“But sometimes he goes back and creates space for others and it’s important to have different options.

“Otherwise you are predictable. And in modern football your team has to be unpredictable.”

VILLA V TOTTENHAM 5.30PM, SKY SPORTS