KANE BLOW ADDS INJURY TO INSULT
Spurs fear their season could unravel with striker awaiting scan and Son off to Asian Cup
Harry Kane has suffered enough problems with his ankle ligaments to recognise the signs and the sight of him slumped on the turf, dejected and in discomfort as the game reached its end made Tottenham hearts sink.
It was bad enough to lose at home for a second successive Premier League game, to find David de Gea having one of those days, to concede ground on the leaders and to see Manchester United on the charge, gathering momentum under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
It was a concern to see Moussa Sissoko forced off before half-time with a groin injury but Kane’s twisted ankle after a strong challenge from Phil Jones was the final insult.
‘My worry is that it was a bad tackle in the last moment,’ said Mauricio Pochettino. ‘It wasn’t the intention of the United player but it was a bad tackle and now he has a bit of a swelling on his ankle and he is limping.’
Kane waited for treatment and then slowly climbed to his feet. Gingerly, he made his way down the tunnel to find he had been selected for doping and would be required to sit and wait until he could provide the samples.
He had arrived hoping to score in a seventh successive game for the first time in his career and he left in pain, preparing for scans on the ankle when the swelling subsides.
Spurs will sweat a little more than usual on the fitness of their talisman and top scorer because this was the last game for Son Heung-min before he departs on international duty.
‘We are going to lose Son for the asian Cup and if Harry Kane suffers an injury it is going to be massive for us,’ said Pochettino. ‘We will recover players and we will be competitive like we have been. We will try to find the way to play if we lose both of them. Hopefully it won’t be a big issue.’
Son has an impressive record of stepping up as the central striker and shouldering the burden when Spurs lose Kane. Without the South Korean for the rest of the month, Pochettino’s options are limited to Fernando Llorente, who has started only twice in all competitions this season.
These days, Llorente is usually restricted to a late cameo when Tottenham need a goal and the boss wants to go aerial, as was the case against United. Vincent Janssen is still at the club and fit once again but Pochettino politely dismissed the idea that the Dutchman might come in handy at this juncture.
It might be different if Spurs were active in the transfer market but they have a new stadium to fund and have not signed a senior player since Lucas Moura, nearly a year ago.
‘It’s going to be a test,’ said the Spurs boss. ‘The last year has been a test of the squad. I never complained.’
after a summer when so many of his players went deep into the World Cup, there have been injury crises to overcome in central defence and in midfield which stopped Pochettino from rotating his squad as he would have liked through the congestion of December and into the new year.
Sissoko started 10 of 12 games in all competitions since the start of last month and his body finally gave way in the first half against United. Spurs are confident his groin problem is not too serious but they suffered and conceded the goal soon after losing his physical presence from their midfield.
eric Dier, Victor Wanyama and Mousa Dembele were all unavailable yesterday. Dembele, with only six months on his contract, is expected to complete a move to China this month.
Dier and Wanyama are close to returning and there is the luxury of a free week before facing Fulham on Sunday but this was a bruising day for Spurs On the not-too-distant horizon, they have the second leg of a Carabao Cup semi-final at Chelsea and an Fa Cup fourth-round tie at Crystal Palace.
Both ties will feel a little more daunting without Kane or Son, and any shot at a return to the title race feels highly unlikely after this defeat, despite the positive noises about how well they played only to be denied by the brilliance of De Gea.
‘The second half, we did so well,’ said Pochettino. ‘We created more than enough chances to win the game. I am disappointed with the result of course, but very happy with the reaction after conceding the goal. I am so happy with the performance.’
alas for Tottenham, there was little else with which to be satisfied.