Kane: Spurs must cope with teams getting under our skin

Harry Kane believes Tottenham must adapt to overcome defensive opponents if they are to achieve success in the coming seasons. 

Spurs were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw at home to West Brom on Monday, a result which left them seven points adrift of league leaders Leicester City and struck a major blow to their hopes of winning a first league title since 1961.  

Although Tottenham controlled the first half at White Hart Lane and led 1-0 at the interval, they were punished for a lack of ruthlessness in the second period, when a header from Craig Dawson, cancelling out his earlier own goal, ensured the spoils were shared. 

Frustrations boiled over when Dele Alli appeared to punch Claudio Yacob, an incident which means the PFA Young Player of the Year could now miss the rest of season, should the FA decide that a three-match ban is appropriate. 

And Kane has warned his team-mates to learn to deal with the antagonistic approach of visiting teams if they are to compete for titles in the future.

“We’re becoming a very good team and teams below us want to come here and get a result,” Kane said. 

“They want to waste time, they want get into the referee, but that’s football. We’ve got to learn how to cope with that. We’re a young side and we’ve still got to learn.

“Maybe teams are trying to get under our skin. It seems everyone puts in 110 per cent against us. But if you want to be a top team in this league, you have to be able to cope with that. We feel we are.”

Leicester need just one win from their final three matches to claim an historic first Premier League title, but Kane refuses to abandon hope.

“I don’t think it’s over,” he said. 

“There are still three games left. If Leicester lose the next game, you just never know. 

“Obviously it is now going to be a lot, lot harder, and it’s not in our hands. It’s in Leicester’s. If they win, they win. We’ve just got to go out and win our remaining three.

“We can’t get too down about the West Brom result. It’s a gutting feeling. We’ve just got to keep fighting until the end.”