LONDON • Tottenham Hotspur are awaiting the results of a second scan on Harry Kane's ankle amid fears the England striker may have suffered ligament damage during the victory against Sunderland on Sunday, an injury that could sideline him for up to two months.
Kane, who scored the only goal of the league game at White Hart Lane, fell awkwardly and twisted the joint late on and departed the stadium on crutches and wearing a protective boot on his right foot.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino conceded post-match that the player may have suffered ligament damage, with medical tests duly undertaken on Monday. The results of a first scan at least reassured Spurs that the 23-year-old had not broken a bone in the fall.
However, there are concerns that Kane has suffered grade two ligament damage, which would normally require six to eight weeks of rehabilitation.
Should the second scan confirm as much then the striker would miss the Champions League group games against CSKA Moscow and Bayer Leverkusen - Spurs lost their opening match 1-2 against Monaco last week at Wembley .
He could also miss key Premier League fixtures against Manchester City, Leicester City and Arsenal.
There would be an impact, too, on Sam Allardyce's England national team, given Kane would miss the World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Slovenia next month and the eagerly anticipated visit of Scotland to Wembley on Nov 11.
Should the scan reveal only grade one damage then Tottenham would anticipate the absence of the player for closer to 10 days, a similar layoff to that being endured by John Terry across the capital at Chelsea.
That would represent good news. A grade three tear would represent a more serious scenario and a four- month rehabilitation, although Spurs are hopeful the forward has escaped that level of damage.
While Tottenham signed Vincent Janssen from Alkmaar in the close season, potentially to relieve the burden placed on Kane over the past few years, the player has yet to score in six appearances for the Premier League club despite his prolific record in Dutch football.
It remains to be seen whether Pochettino will risk starting Janssen in today's League Cup tie against Gillingham, although the Dutchman has received backing from the captain, Hugo Lloris, to step into the breach.
The France goalkeeper said: "When one player is missing, it gives an opportunity to another player to bring his skills, his energy, his qualities and his strength.
"This is the story of the season and that's why we need all the players committed to the club. When the team needs you, you need to respond."
Eric Dier and Mousa Dembele, who both came off with cramp on Sunday, are expected to be fit, while Erik Lamela and Christian Eriksen, who were benched, should return to provide ammunition for Janssen.
For third-tier Gillingham, there could be one or two familiar faces on show, including former Liverpool and West Ham left-back Paul Konchesky and former Arsenal striker Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, though ex-Tottenham midfielder Jamie O'Hara is unlikely to make it back from a foot injury.
THE GUARDIAN, THE TIMES, LONDON
