Tottenham are currently without star striker Harry Kane. The English international is out with an ankle injury. Tottenham face their biggest test since the injury to Kane on Sunday when they face London rivals Chelsea. Spurs stars like Heung-Min Son, Dele Alli and Christain Eriksen will be under pressure to perform. Earlier in the season, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola labelled the North London side the “Harry Kane team”. Many people associated with the club felt this jibe was harsh and disrespectful to many Tottenham players. Sunday presents the perfect opportunity for the Tottenham players who are often left in Kane’s shadow to show everyone that they are as important members of the team as Harry Kane.
Just the Harry Kane Team?
Top Scorer
Harry Kane is currently Tottenham’s top scorer. He has won successive Premier League golden boots and was favourite to win another pre-injury. It is safe to say the academy graduate is Tottenham’s primary goal outlet. With like for like back up, Fernando Llorente struggling to perform since his move from Swansea, South Korean Son will be backed to take over the goal-scoring duties. Heung-Min Son currently has 12 Premier League goals this season. Considering he plays prominently as a winger, this is a good return. The South Korean is a star in his homeland and is the current Asian player of the year. Spurs will hope Son will continue to step up in Kane’s absence and continue to perform in big games like he did with goals against Liverpool, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund so far this season.
The Great Dane
For the Danish national team, Christain Eriksen is the clear stand out performer. At Tottenham, he is one of the top players but is prone to spells of inconsistency. For instance, he has rarely had a game for Tottenham like he had for Denmark in the World Cup playoffs against the Republic of Ireland. His performance in the Champions League against Juventus is the only game that comes close. Eriksen is fast becoming one of the most underrated players in world football. A top game on Sunday against Chelsea will go a long way to getting the credit the Danish midfielder deserves. Eriksen is one of those players with the ability to take games by the scruff of the neck. It is time that he does so more regularly for Tottenham.
Stamford Bridge Curse
Tottenham have not beaten Chelsea in a league game at Stamford Bridge since 1990. Chelsea currently lie fourth in the Premier League table, five points behind fifth-placed Tottenham. This game is a must-win for both sides. If the task wasn’t daunting enough, Pochettino‘s win percentage at Tottenham goes from 59% when Harry Kane is in the side to just 39% when he is not. Sunday’s game will prove a great acid test for Tottenham to see if they really are more than the Harry Kane team or just a group of back up dancers for the English Striker.
Main Image Credit:
Embed from Getty Images
