Jamie Carragher has waxed-lyrical about Tottenham striker Harry Kane on Monday Night Football (23/11/20 at 10:30 pm) and named him as the ‘most street-wise footballer’ in the league.
Those comments were in reference to Kane making Manchester City look ‘really childish’ on Saturday because of the manner in which he was winning ‘clever’ fouls for his team.
Spurs recorded a 2-0 win against Pep Guardiola’s side, with the sharp-shooter turned playmaker securing his ninth assist of the season in the game.
Carragher made it clear that the manner in which Kane was winning his fouls wasn’t ‘diving’ but just intelligent play from the Spurs man.
“Harry Kane, I think is the most street-wise footballer in the Premier League by a long way and I love it,” said Carragher. “I absolutely love it. And if anyone, after I have done this piece tells me he is cheating or he’s going down, it’s not. It’s a big part of the game and a very clever part of the game.
“He made Manchester City’s look really childish, naïve and no understanding of football.
“What he does is that he makes sure he gets fouls. It’s not diving. Look at the situation, he is the highest player at the top end of the pitch. Everyone is behind the ball, so he knows he has to hold this ball up or get a foul. And he makes sure he gets a foul.
“He passes it off [to a teammate when receiving the ball] then makes sure he goes into the defender [who is behind him] and he fouls him.”
Carragher then illustrated and analysed many more situations where Kane was winning ‘clever’ fouls and how he had the Man City defenders ‘on toast’.
Summer signing Ruben Dias and his left-footed partner, Aymeric Laporte, who are deemed Man City’s best partnership, were the ones who started at the heart of Pep Guardiola’s defence.
Nonetheless, Carragher was insistent that Kane wasn’t looking to get the opposition booked or sent off but he was just looking to win the foul.
“How a team like Manchester City fell for it and fell into the trap so often,” Carragher added. “I thought it was just an outstanding play with the ball.
“But what he does for the team, honestly when I watch him play, I love it and I admire it so much.”
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