Pochettino backs Harry Kane to find scoring form

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is confident England striker Harry Kane will rediscover his touch in front of goal after another blank afternoon.

The 22-year-old, who scored as a substitute in his country’s Euro 2016 qualifier victories over San Marino and Switzerland, is yet to open his club account for the season and missed a close-range chance in Sunday’s 1-0 Barclays Premier League victory at Sunderland.

However, Pochettino is delighted with what Kane is giving the team and is certain it is only a matter of time before he starts to find the back of the net once again.

The Argentinian said after Tottenham’s first win of the campaign: “I am very happy with him. He gives his best for the team, the effort was great and you know he only needs time to score again. I’m sure, because he has great skill in front of goal, that it’s only a matter of time.

“He’s very confident, very happy. After the game, he was very happy in the changing room because our mentality now as a team, as a squad, is first the result, the collective situation, before our individual problems or targets.

“That’s why we are very pleased with the players, because now the mentality is a collective mentality. Always that is important, the collective, the team.

“Of course, after that everyone has individual targets, but first it’s the interests of the team and for that, we are very happy.”

Kane, who scored a late own goal to hand Sunderland a 2-2 draw in the corresponding fixture last season, played a part in his side’s 82nd-minute winner this time around when he and substitute Erik Lamela combined to allow midfielder Ryan Mason to finish off a move he had started.

However, the Black Cats enjoyed the better of the game for long periods with Ola Toivonen’s presence adding brawn to the pace of Jermain Defoe and Jeremain Lens and Fabio Borini’s invention, with Defoe and substitute Jack Rodwell both hitting the woodwork.

Pochettino, who said the knee injury Mason suffered while scoring would be assessed on Monday, said: “We are happy with our first victory in the Premier League.

“It was important for the players to give them confidence because it’s never easy when you play well and you deserve to win – like in the last few games – and you don’t get the victory, it’s never easy to work.

“But I am very pleased with the players. I think we deserved a lot from the second half, because the first half was an open game. But in the second half, we dominated and created the better chances and I think in the end, it was fair, the result.”

Opposite number Dick Advocaat was of a different opinion.

Advocaat said: “It’s a disappointing result, but not disappointing the way we played. You could see a big difference in the approach to the game of our team.

“But you are playing against a very good side like Spurs, a lot of good individuals, and the few chances you get, you have to score a goal out of that.

“I think we deserved more than nothing, but you don’t always get what you deserve. I have also said to the players, ‘This game, we have to take the positive things out of it. If you give this spirit, it will get you points as well’.

“I think the crowd liked the way we played. It’s a really attractive way of playing, only we did not get the points we deserved.

“Again with all respect to Spurs – they have a really good side, but I think one point was for us a good result.”

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