Tottenham news: Mauricio Pochettino admits Harry Kane’s style of play exposes him to injury

The England captain picked up ligament damage in a challenge with Fabian Delph during the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final vs Man City

Mauricio Pochettino admits Harry Kane’s style of play leaves him exposed to injury but insists the Tottenham Hotspur forward will not change, despite the setback of his latest ankle injury.

Pochettino, the Tottenham manager, expects Kane to miss the rest of the Premier League season after the player suffered a lateral ligament injury to his left ankle during Tuesday’s Champions League victory over Manchester City. A club statement described the injury as ‘significant’ and Pochettino admitted expects Kane to miss the remainder of the Premier League season.

This is the fifth time Kane has suffered an ankle injury since September 2016, with his most recent lay-off coming earlier this year. On this occasion, the injury was caused by a strong tackle between Kane and Fabian Delph and Pochettino, who attached no blame to the incident, admitted a more cautious player might not have launched into such a strong challenge by the halfway line.

“It’s true that now we can have an opinion that it was a challenge with not too many reasons to do but he’s how he is,” said the manager, who dismissed any suggestion Kane had been targeted by Pep Guardiola’s players despite being involved in a number of physical confrontations with several City players

“He’s strong. He wants to challenge for every single ball with the opponent. Of course, now watching the action, you say, ‘Oh Harry, why not stop before? There’s nothing to do with this ball in the middle, on the halfway line’. But it shows how he is. He is Harry Kane because he behaves like this in the past. Now the bad luck means that he’s got an injury but he is how he is.”

Pochettino denied Kane has an underlying problem with his ankles but admitted the player will inevitably dwell on the fact he has suffered a number of similar injuries.

“For sure it can be an issue,” he said. “When you suffer one, twice or third time, it’s normal in your head that you will always think about it. But i don’t believe it will be a big problem.

“I think we are going to help and, with experience, we can make it different in the future and hope that’s the last time it will be the last time he gets an injury with his ankle.”

He added: “Today there are a lot of techniques to try to help and of course, because we have very good people here, we are maybe going to do some situations to help, we have some ideas to help him to recover as soon as possible and make his ankle strong and course we’ll see. I don’t believe it’s going to be a chronic problem.”

Harry Kane reacts after a challenge with Fabian Delph (AFP/Getty)

While Pochettino admitted it would be “tough” for Kane to appear in the Premier League campaign again this season, he was more hopeful of the player’s chances of being available for England’s Nations league bid in early June, as well as the Champions League final on June 1st should Spurs make it through the next two rounds.

“Hopefully (he will be for the Nations Cup), yes,” said the manager. “Of course we hope. You know that he is so focused now and he will be so positive to be fit. First of all to help Tottenham and then if that’s not possible then to help the national team.”

Mauricio Pochettino has some big decisions to make (Getty)

Pochettino will not rest Son Heung-min for today’s meeting with Huddersfield Town. Sonny I think is going to play because he is very fit and full of energy,” he said. “tomorrow is one of our biggest games. We need the three points.”