‘Doesn’t look 100% fit’: Paul Merson says Tottenham player is carrying an injury at the World Cup

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Paul Merson thinks Tottenham talisman Harry Kane is not 100 per cent fit at the World Cup for England.

Merson told the Daily Star that Kane really could have done with a rest in one of England’s group games, but he started every one of them.

He did come off against Iran and Wales once the game was won, but picked up a foot injury from a poor challenge in the 6-2 win to open the tournament.

Merson’s comments echo what his Sky Sports colleague Gary Neville said earlier this week about Kane’s fitness.

Merson on Kane

He said: “Harry Kane just loves to play football but I really think he would have benefited from sitting out against the USA or Wales. He is now seriously lacking sharpness.

“He may have the most assists at the World Cup (three) but England need him in the box. There is simply no chance Gareth Southgate’s side will win the tournament without Kane in the goals. But I just feel like with his fitness at the moment, he needs to sometimes consider saying: ‘You know what, I can’t play in this game.’

“You only have to look at Tottenham’s recent League Cup defeat at Nottingham Forest to realise Kane wants to play in every football match but now he doesn’t look 100% fit.

“All of a sudden there are calls for Callum Wilson to start because he looks sharp off the bench. Wilson is a good player but he is nowhere near the level of Kane, it’s just because the captain is struggling.”

There is always talk about Kane and it was the same – probably even more intense than it is now – after the group stage of Euro 2020.

England only scored twice getting out of the group and they both came from Raheem Sterling with Kane looking low on sharpness.

He then went on to score in every knockout round apart from the final as England came agonisingly close to glory at Wembley.

It would be far from a surprise if Kane roared back in similar fashion in Qatar, and he already has three assists to his name this tournament, so it can hardly be said he is playing badly.