Kane targetting a knock-out blow on Liverpool title hopes

Joe Williams

Harry Kane is looking to put more daylight between Tottenham and Liverpool when the north Londoners travel to Anfield on Saturday.

Victory for Spurs would put them seven points clear of Liverpool, who could fall 16 points behind league leaders Chelsea if the Blues beat Burnley a day later.

Tottenham will fancy their chances given Jurgen Klopp’s side have managed only one win in their last 10 matches, their dip reaching a new low in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at struggling Hull.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men, meanwhile, along with a resurgent Manchester City, have emerged as the most likely contenders to halt Chelsea’s charge but they can ill-afford to let a nine-point gap grow any bigger.

“It is a important game for us. We want to build the gap on Liverpool and if we beat them next week then we go seven points clear of them,” Kane said.

“That is what we want to try to do. We want to catch Chelsea and it’s important that we stay as high up the table as possible. If we can build gaps over other teams behind us, that is the important thing.

“It is not down to us. We don’t know if Chelsea are catchable. All we can do is win our games. Hopefully they drop a few points here and there.”

Kane’s second-half penalty was enough to seal a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough on Saturday as Tottenham extended an 11-match unbeaten run.

Their surge, however, is not reflected in the table after Chelsea delivered another statement victory over Arsenal – their fifth in six since losing to Spurs at the start of the year.

“They look good at the moment,” Kane said.

“But it was an important win (against Middlesbrough) and after a couple of other teams dropped points.

“We want to start building the gap from the others and push Chelsea all the way and see how they cope

“Chelsea have that gap at the moment. But Liverpool dropped points against Hull, and Arsenal against Watford. It happens in the Premier League. There is a long way to go.”

Kane’s winner at White Hart Lane was his 14th league goal of the season and he was particularly relieved to see the net ripple after the result of his last penalty in December.

Then, a soggy penalty spot contributed to the striker firing high over the bar against Southampton, but he made no mistake this time.

“My last penalty away at Southampton went 50 rows into the stand so I have been waiting for that one and waiting to put it right,” Kane said.

“I was happy to put it away. I knew the grass here would support my foot better. It was good to send the keeper wrong way.”