Harry Kane: Antonio Conte says Spurs striker remains one of the best despite lack of Premier League goals | Football News

Tottenham boss Antonio Conte says Harry Kane is one of the best strikers he has worked with despite his poor form this season.

The England captain, who won the Premier League Golden Boot last season, has scored just once in 14 league appearances this term.

Conte, who has been at the club since the beginning of November, has managed Carlos Tevez, Diego Costa and Romelu Lukaku in the past, but ranks Kane among the best ahead of Sunday’s game with Liverpool, live on Sky Sports Premier League.

“Harry is a world-class striker,” he said. “Every day that I train him I understand very well that he’s a world-class striker.

“He’s one of the best I’ve had the pleasure to train. He’s amazing. I like to have him in my team.

“For sure Jurgen [Klopp] likes to have Mo Salah. But I like to have Harry in my team.

“He’s an important player for us and my expectation was very high and to play an important game against Liverpool.”

Kane scored 23 goals and made 14 last season but his inability to repeat that level so far this campaign is perhaps understandable.

He led England to the final of what was effectively a home tournament before losing on penalties at Euro 2020 over the summer and was then subject of a transfer saga involving Manchester City

Conte is not judging Kane on his numbers, though.

The Italian said of Kane’s lack of goals: “It’s very strange, no? It’s very strange.

“If you compare what he did in the past, this is very strange. But also in the past, in my experience, before as a player and then as a coach, it happens.

“I played with important strikers who – for a long period – didn’t score. But my judgement about them didn’t change.

“I wanted to have them in my team also if they don’t score. Because if you have Harry Kane in your team, you feel stronger, for sure.”

Conte: Liverpool are template for success

Tottenham have produced a stark upturn in form since Antonio Conte took the reins last month, but how will the Italian approach his toughest test yet when his side host Liverpool in front of the Sky cameras this weekend?

Three wins and a draw from four league games under Conte has seen Spurs rise from troubled waters into seventh spot in the league table going into the weekend, with three games in hand over all but one of the teams above them – potentially nine additional points, which, as it stands, would leave Spurs merely three points shy of third-placed Chelsea.

That scenario has come against the backdrop of a fresh wave in Covid-19 cases, with the London club having a game with Burnley postponed due to snow, the match with Brighton called off due to a Covid outbreak at the club and an eleventh-hour cancellation in Leicester on Thursday.

In addition, the fate of Spurs’ progress in the inaugural Europa Conference League remains uncertain after the club were forced to cancel their fixture with Rennes due to the virus – a game they needed to play, and win, to guarantee qualification to the next round.

Speaking exclusively to Sky Sports, Tottenham manager Antonio Conte explains how the current crisis has rocked the club, the importance of his backroom team, the source of his passion, why he got Spurs running again and how Liverpool are the template for success…

Watch Tottenham vs Liverpool live on Sky Sports Premier League from 4.15pm on Sunday; kick-off 4.30pm

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