Danny Murphy has told talkSPORT that Tottenham Hotspur will not be able to challenge Liverpool or Manchester City for the Premier League title as they are too reliant on Harry Kane.
The former Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder, who now works as a pundit for talkSPORT, believes that England international striker Kane is the main player in Jose Mourinho’s side.
Murphy said that if the 27-year-old striker – who earns £200,000 per week as salary, according to iNews – is taken out, then Tottenham are not as worrying for the opposition teams.
The Englishman told talkSPORT: “Tottenham look great but they’re too reliant on Kane, for me. Liverpool have got different ways they can get goals, they’ve got better competition in attack and aren’t as heavily reliant on one player. I don’t think City are as reliant on one player as Spurs are, either.
“If you take Kane out, I think all of a sudden you don’t worry about Tottenham as much if you’re playing against them. I know Heung-min Son is good and they have other good players, but Kane is the one. So I wouldn’t have Tottenham as challengers, no.”
Does Danny Murphy have a point?
Tottenham have a strong squad this season. The signing of Carlos Vinicius on loan from Benfica means that Spurs have an established back-up forward, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has added steel to the North London club’s midfield, and the likes of Harry Winks and Dele Alli are not guaranteed a place in the starting lineup due to a very healthy competition for places.
Spurs can cope with two games per week and Mourinho can rest some of his best players this season, as he has done in the Europa League.
True, Tottenham without Kane in the squad is not ideal, but any top team would struggle if they are without one or two of their best players.
Spurs are level on points with Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table at the moment, and Mourinho’s side are emerging as genuine challengers for the title.
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