Harry Kane endangered Adam Lallana to win Tottenham penalty, claims Martin Keown
‘The referee has had a really bad afternoon, this is Harry Kane, I believe he knows exactly what he is doing’
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Martin Keown claimed that Harry Kane deliberated endangered Adam Lallana to win a penalty in Tottenham’s victory against Brighton.
Kane appeared to deliberately step back into the former Liverpool player's path, colliding with Lallana just inside the box while challenging for a header.
The contact knocked Lallana off balance and he tipped over in a thudding fall. Kane then scored from the resulting penalty before Gareth Bale struck the winner in a 2-1 victory for Jose Mourinho's side.
However, speaking on Match of the Day 2, Keown insisted a penalty should not have been awarded and that Kane had in effect conned the referee.
"The referee has had a really bad afternoon, this is Harry Kane, I believe he knows exactly what he is doing," he said.
"He looks at his opponent, knows what he is going to do and makes a back for him. I think it is dangerous play from Harry Kane and he knows what he is doing and I don't even think it is a penalty."
Former Tottenham striker Peter Crouch also believed Kane had deliberately initiated the contact with Lallana.
"Kane knows what he is doing. He has looked at him twice, he knows Lallana is going to jump and he can get his back in there and maybe get a foul," Crouch said. "Lallana only had eyes for the ball."
Match of the Day host Gary Lineker shared the same view, tweeting: "Thought @HKane bought that one. Just backed into Lallana and also not convinced it was inside the box."
“Worth pointing out that British players are just as culpable as foreign players when it comes to throwing themselves to the ground if someone flicks an eyelash at them in the box,” he later added.
"Will remain the case until penalties are given when players are fouled but stay upright regardless."
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