soccer
Harry Kane’s goals more important than Erling Haaland’s
Although Erling Haaland has hit the headlines due to his goals for Manchester City, Harry Kane’s for Spurs have been more important
Much in the same way as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo had done before him, Erling Haaland has put everyone else in the shadows with his goalscoring exploits, especially this season in the Premier League.
In the opening nine matches of the campaign, no fewer than 12 players have averaged a goal every two games or better, the benchmark by which we measured prolific goalscorers before Messi and Ronaldo – and now Haaland – came along.
Spurs’ Harry Kane tipped to become the all-time Premier League top scorer
One of the 12 is, probably unsurprisingly, Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane, a player who has been considered the English top-flight’s most lethal marksman in the last few years but who has been shunted somewhat out of the way by Haaland’s arrival. The England striker’s form has gone under the radar but eight goals in nine matches this season have moved him ever closer to Alan Shearer’s all-time record of 260 in the Premier League, which Kane has been tipped to break. After Saturday’s winner at Brighton, he sits on 191.
The word ‘winner’ is key. Kane is not just one of Spurs’ best players, he is their most decisive one. And as things stand, his eight league goals for Antonio Conte’s side have been more important than Haaland’s 15 for Manchester City, who sit just three points ahead of the London side in the Premier League table.
Kane scored the only goal at the Amex, the fourth time in the league this season that he has scored what proved to be the winning goal for Tottenham. He was also the only goalscorer at home to Wolves, fired in the only two goals of the game away to Nottingham Forest and his strike against Fulham meant the Cottagers’ late goal in that game was only a consolation. In addition, he headed in a dramatic injury-time equaliser to earn his team a point away to bitter rivals Chelsea on the second weekend of the season.
Harry Kane’s goals this season have earned Spurs 13 points
Take Kane’s goals out of this Spurs team and they would have 13 points fewer. Take Haaland’s out of the City team and that tally drops to 11.
Towards the end of the clash with Brighton, Kane took a bang to the calf and was seen hobbling around after full-time following his substitution. The striker did, however, allay injury fears after the game. “It’s just a knock. He’s gone full power for the shot there and I just managed to get in front of him. It’s a sore one but they’re definitely worth it when you win the game.”
A sigh of relief for Spurs and a sigh of relief for England manager Gareth Southgate with the 2022 World Cup just around the corner.