Kane on course to surpass Ronaldo's 42-goal mark

Harry Kane is leading the Golden Boot race after his 35th goal of the season for Tottenham at Crystal Palace last weekend.
Harry Kane is leading the Golden Boot race after his 35th goal of the season for Tottenham at Crystal Palace last weekend. PHOTO: REUTERS

LONDON • The last time a player broke the fabled 40-goal mark in English football, Cristiano Ronaldo was the darling of Old Trafford and the Abu Dhabi revolution had yet to start at Manchester City.

Fast forward to March 2018 and striker Harry Kane's prolific goal-scoring has made comparisons with Ronaldo commonplace, and he now stands on the brink of a feat not seen in English football since the Portuguese departed for Real Madrid a decade ago.

Ronaldo was the last player to score 40 goals in a season for an English club when he hit 42 on his way to winning the Ballon d'Or and a Premier League and Champions League double for Manchester United in the 2007-08 season.

Kane is yet to win such illustrious honours, but is on course for a third straight Golden Boot after his 35th goal of the campaign for Tottenham at Crystal Palace last weekend.

Next in his firing line are Huddersfield today, before another chance to further his burgeoning reputation on the continent in Wednesday's massive Champions League last-16, second leg against Juventus.

"I know I'm in good form," Kane said after scoring his 11th goal in 10 games in 2018.

"I set myself little targets and I'm going quicker than I expected to this season. I've got 35 so I just have to keep scoring goals."

After Kane, only Son Heung Min has got into double figures for Spurs this season, and it is hard to overestimate the influence of his 17 goals in their 16-game unbeaten run since being hammered 3-0 at the hands of City in December.

Thanks to the England international, Mauricio Pochettino's men have hit top form at the right time in their quest to qualify for next season's Champions League.

Another win today would crucially open up a five-point lead on fifth-placed Chelsea, who face a testing trip to Manchester City tomorrow.

A chasm of 25 points separate Spurs in fourth and Huddersfield in 14th, but Terriers manager David Wagner has insisted his side are better prepared for today's return fixture at Wembley after their 4-0 rout by Spurs earlier in the term.

"We will see what we will do on Saturday but this was a big lesson we learnt in the first game (against Spurs) and has helped us over the next games of the season."

"In the first game, they showed us how strong they are. You have to be focused every single second and not give them any little chance because they can hurt you," he added.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on March 03, 2018, with the headline Kane on course to surpass Ronaldo's 42-goal mark. Subscribe