Dele Alli has defended Harry Kane as the striker continues to be taunted about his claimed goal against Stoke City.
Tottenham appealed for Christian Eriksen’s second goal at Stoke to be re-credited to Kane, and a number of Premier League players have ridiculed the 24-year-old’s desperation to beat Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah in the race for the Golden Boot.
Alli has now defended his Spurs teammate, suggesting he also would have claimed the goal as his own.
“I don’t know how H is going to take it, but I think it gives some people a chance to put him down,” Alli said (via the Evening Standard). “Playing with him every day in training I can see how hard he works.
“He’s a striker and every striker wants goals, so he has just got to ignore the criticism and focus on himself which I am sure he will do.
“He is an unbelievable player and he is a great person as well. If it was me and I touched the ball I would try to claim it as well.
“I wouldn’t put it past him to beat Salah to the Golden Boot. He finished last season really strongly and ended up getting there ahead of Romelu Lukaku.”
Despite the superfluous nature of the incident, the age of social media has allowed the mockery to get a little out of hand.
The jokes are fine (if a little worn out at this point), but some of the genuine criticism of Kane has been absolutely baffling to me. Why on earth wouldn’t he claim the goal if he thinks it touched his shoulder?
He desperately wants to win the Golden Boot, which will undoubtedly serve Tottenham well until the end of the season – and hopefully for years to come.
when video evidence clearly shows he didn’t touch it and he’s sworn on his daughters life is why he’s been slaughtered by opposition fans and media.
It’s just the English way – build someone up and then take him down, as viciously as possible.