Will Lankshear is showing no signs of slowing down for Middlesbrough as Tottenham Hotspur continue to struggle for goals.
Spurs have only scored one goal in five matches against Premier League opposition so far this season, and even that came from a corner less than 24 hours ago.
Their finishing issues once again haunted them in the Carabao Cup third-round defeat to Liverpool, as Omar Marmoush, Lucas Bergvall, Mohammed Kudus and Savio all spurned big chances in the 3-1 defeat to the Reds.
In the meantime, a player they sold in the summer, Lankshear, has been unstoppable in front of goal for Middlesbrough at the start of the season.
Video: Tottenham reject Will Lankshear produces another poacher’s finish
What Spurs seem to be missing is a goal-poacher who can get them 15-20 goals a season, and those are the exact qualities that Lankshear once demonstrated against Millwall on Tuesday night.
The away side had raced into a 2-0 lead at the Riverside Stadium before Amario Cozier-Duberry pulled one back in the 50th minute.
Lankshear then stepped up to equalise with his eighth goal in 10 matches across all competitions for Boro. The striker pulled away at the far post to get on the end of a looping cross from deep to bury it in the back of the net.
Watch the Spurs academy graduate’s equaliser against Millwall below:
Roberto De Zerbi is confident Spurs have the players to get them goals
While Spurs fans cannot help but wonder ‘what if’ regarding Lankshear, there is, of course, little evidence that he could get goals consistently at Premier League level… yet.
Tottenham do have a 20% sell-on clause and matching rights for the young striker though, and you would assume the hierarchy have a plan to bring him back if his current form continues.
In fact, Roberto De Zerbi believes that Spurs already have the strikers to get them the goals they need, despite leaving last season’s top scorer, Richarlison, out of the Premier League squad.
The Tottenham boss has backed Dominic Solanke to get 15 goals this season if the striker can get fully fit and regain his confidence.