The Top Flight
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Tottenham will maintain top four spot despite injury to Harry Kane

By Craig Pearson

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 12: An injured Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur talks to Mauricio Pochettino manager / head coach of Tottenham Hotspur before he leaves the pitch during The Emirates FA Cup Quarter-Final match between Tottenham Hotspur and Millwall at White Hart Lane on March 12, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 12: An injured Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur talks to Mauricio Pochettino manager / head coach of Tottenham Hotspur before he leaves the pitch during The Emirates FA Cup Quarter-Final match between Tottenham Hotspur and Millwall at White Hart Lane on March 12, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images) /
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Tottenham are set for a crucial spell without their star striker, Harry Kane, due to injury. Will Spurs’ season collapse now?

Tottenham are facing a complicated end to their Premier League campaign, with Harry Kane going down with an ankle injury. Kane was initially expected to miss the rest of the season, but latest reports, courtesy of Sky Sports, suggest four to six weeks is now the time frame for a return.

Spurs rely on Kane so much that many speculated the club would now struggle to even finish in the top four minus Kane. The striker has scored 19 Premier League goals this season. His backup option, Vincent Janssen, has scored just one. It’s easy to see why Spurs fans would be nervous.

Tottenham still have to play the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United in their remaining 11 Premier League games. Not to mention two tricky away games against Burnley and a rejuvenated Leicester City. There’s also an FA Cup semifinal to consider against Chelsea.

Kane may well be back in four to six weeks, but will then have to regain match fitness, form and rhythm. Kane back at his best is months away. However, despite things taking a sudden turn for the worst, Mauricio Pochettino and his team will still finish, at worst, in the top four.

Kane may be the dominant goalscorer in the Spurs squad, but it’s not as one-sided as it seems. Dele Alli has scored 13 Premier League goals this season, just six less than Kane. Compare that to a team like Manchester United, where Zlatan Ibrahimovich has scored 15 goals and the next best is Juan Mata on six.

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Even Arsenal have Alexis Sanchez on 17 Premier League goals, with the next best being Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud on just eight goals apiece. Spurs, whilst heavily reliant on Kane’s goals, are really no more so than most teams are on their top striker.

Also, Alli has played in an advanced position this season, which has allowed him the freedom to get forward and score fairly regularly. Whilst Son Heung-min has also shown a tendency to chip in with goals. It’s not like Tottenham are completely out of scoring options now without Kane.

Another plus point for Tottenham over most other teams is their defense. A team like Manchester City needs to score two, maybe three, goals to win a game due to their leaky defense. Spurs don’t have to do that.

Tottenham are tied with Chelsea with the best defensive record in the league. Pochettino’s team are only ever one goal away from a win. To fall out of the top four, Spurs would have to give up six points to fifth-placed Arsenal.

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Granted, the Gunners have a game in hand, but given their recent form, no Premier League game is a given for Arsenal right now. With just 11 games remaining in the Premier League, Tottenham will be fine.

Kane’s injury comes at a bad time, and it will slow down Pochettino’s Tottenham. But Spurs are not about to collapse without their star striker.

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