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Harry Kane: 'I'm in the best form of my career'
Tottenham’s Harry Kane believes he is in the best form of his career to date – and he is happy to embrace the status of being, in his manager’s words, “one of the top strikers in the world”.
Kane hit a first-half hat-trick in Sunday’s 4-0 home win over Stoke City, netting his third treble in nine games and passing the 20-goal mark for the third successive year.
The 23-year-old has scored 13 goals in his last 12 games and, even though he missed 10 matches between September and November due to an ankle injury, he lies joint top of the Premier League’s goalscoring chart as he attempts to win the golden boot for the second time in a row.
Asked if he is now in his best ever form, Kane replied: “Yes I think so. I feel fresh, I feel sharp, I feel in good shape.
“That injury I had earlier in the season might have done me a bit of good, getting me a bit more rest. I’ve had a good couple of months so it’s important I continue that until the end of the season.
“It’s nice to break that 20-goal mark again and hopefully I can continue to 25 or 30. That’s always the aim, to get that. I’m on 22 now for the season and I’ve just got to continue and hopefully get as many as I can until the end.
“Of course it would be brilliant to retain that golden boot. It’s up there in my house and I would like another one.”
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino stated after Sunday’s game that Kane is one of the world’s best forwards, and the player himself has no qualms about accepting the tag.
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“I feel that if you look at my stats and my goals then I’m up there,” he said. “If you guys want to print that then I’m more than happy to have that. I just try to do my best.
“I like to score goals, obviously I will try to score as many as I can from now until the end of the season. I feel in good form.”
Kane showed his ability to score with both feet against Stoke, finishing clinically with his right foot and then netting with a fine left-footed volley.
There was a large element of fortune about his third strike as his free kick hit the wall and deflected past goalkeeper Lee Grant, but the striker said: “I’m having it, no-one’s taking that from me!
“You never know, it could have snuck past the keeper on target. You need a bit of luck sometimes and I was happy to get that.
“I think that was the first hat-trick I’ve scored in the first half. It was nice, it was one of those games where things seemed to go our way. To get the fourth just before half-time, just to finish off the game completely, was nice.
“It was just a very good performance, obviously coming off the back of [the defeat to Gent on] Thursday. We were all disappointed and gutted so it was important to do that.”
There was an unfortunate irony about the fact that Tottenham struck four times in the first half at the weekend, having been so wasteful when they exited the Europa League three days previously.
The Lilywhites only managed to get three of their 25 shots against Gent on target, and Kane said: “That’s what we were saying [after the match against Stoke].
“On Thursday we could have been out there for another hour and probably still wouldn’t have nicked it. But this time a couple of deflections go our way, a couple of balls go our way, and that’s football. We’re ready for that, we have to take our chances when they come, and we did that this time.”
Tottenham’s victory was their 10th in a row in all competitions at White Hart Lane , which has become a veritable fortress this season.
Spurs have won 11 of their 13 Premier League games in N17, drawing the other two – and they have scored 30 goals while conceding only five across their top-flight fixtures.
There are just seven home games remaining before Tottenham’s scheduled departure from the Lane, which is due to be demolished at the end of this season – and three of those matches will now be played in succession against Everton, Millwall and Southampton.
An emotional farewell is drawing ever nearer, but the Lilywhites remain capable of a fitting achievement – an unbeaten season on home turf.
“Hopefully, touch wood – it would be nice,” said Kane. “It’s the last year at White Hart Lane and we never want to get beaten, so you never know.
“Everton next week is another tough game, they’re on good form, so we’ve just got to go into that one with the same energy, the same desire and hopefully come out with a win.
“We know we’ve got winnable games coming up. Although every game is tough in the Premier League, we feel at home we’re very strong – we’re not conceding many goals, like against Stoke.
“We’ve just got to continue that, that confidence. We know it’s the last year at White Hart Lane , we want to hopefully do the best we can – and so far, so good. It’s important we do that over the next month or two.”
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