England forward Harry Kane suffered a worrying ankle injury ahead of next week’s League Cup final after scoring twice in Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-2 draw away to Everton in the Premier League on Friday.
England forward Harry Kane suffered a worrying ankle injury ahead of next week’s League Cup final after scoring twice in Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-2 draw away to Everton in the Premier League on Friday.
Gylfi Sigurdsson also grabbed two goals for Everton in a result that did little for either side’s European hopes.
Kane, expected to lead England’s attack in this year’s coronavirus delayed European Championships, went off in stoppage time towards the end of the match after rolling his ankle when challenged in the box at an Everton corner.
“It is too early to say something,” Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho told Sky Sports when asked afterwards about Kane’s injury.
“For him to leave the pitch with a few minutes to go is obviously because he felt something.
“Let me be optimistic and believe that he has time to recover. Let’s see.
“It’s obvious he’s a very important player for us. I cannot say much or speculate.”
Kane’s 20th league goal of the season put Spurs ahead in the 27th minute at Goodison Park only for Sigurdsson to equalise soon afterwards from the penalty spot.
It was the reverse story in the second half, Sigurdsson getting his second in the 62nd minute before Kane levelled six minutes later.
Spurs remain seventh, five points off the top four having played one game more than West Ham.
Mourinho said of Kane’s double: “It was great finishing.
“Two beautiful goals but not a surprise for the ones who see him do it every day in training.”
Meanwhile, Mourinho had little time for Paul Pogba’s recent criticism of his management style when he was in charge of Manchester United.
Pogba accused Mourinho of “going against players” and making them feel like “they don’t exist any more.”
But Mourinho, who made France midfielder Pogba the world’s most expensive player when he brought him to Old Trafford in 2016, insisted Friday: “I would like to say that I couldn’t care less what he says. I am not interested at all.”
– ‘Keep fighting’ –
Everton were left a place and one point further back than Tottenham, but do have a game in hand on Mourinho’s side.
“It was probably the best we played at home this season,” said Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti.
“We were unlucky. We did easy mistakes and when you do mistakes against Harry Kane you are condemned.
“We have more difficulties to reach Europe but we have to keep fighting. We still have (the) possibility, playing like tonight.”
After an uninspiring opening, Spurs broke the deadlock with their first effort on target.
Everton’s Michael Keane missed Tanguy Ndombele’s cross and in the process allowed Kane to control the ball and shoot into the bottom corner past England team-mate Jordan Pickford.
This was Kane’s 20th goal of the Premier League season — the fifth time in his career he had achieved the feat.
Only Alan Shearer (seven) and Sergio Agüero (six) have done so in more Premier League seasons.
But the Londoners’ lead lasted barely four minutes, with Everton equalising after Sergio Reguilon charged into James Rodriguez and Sigurdsson beat Hugo Lloris from the penalty spot.
Lloris kept the game all square come half-time, however, by denying both Rodriguez and Richarlison with fine saves.
Spurs then squandered several chances to regain the lead and they were punished for their wastefulness when Iceland’s Sigurdsson fired into the far corner following a pull-back from Seamus Coleman.
But Kane had his second goal when he pounced from close range after Everton’s Mason Holgate and Keane collided in the Merseysiders’ box.
