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Tottenham news: Jurgen Klopp weighs in on whether Harry Kane needs to rest
JURGEN KLOPP has said the rest which Harry Kane had after the World Cup was “nothing”.
Liverpool travel to Wembley on Saturday to take on Tottenham in what represents their first major challenge of the season.
Klopp’s side sit atop the Premier League after four games, with Mauricio Pochettino’s men just three points behind.
Spurs’ talisman, Kane, has started every game of the season so far, despite having only a two-week break following England’s World Cup campaign.
The striker bagged the competition’s Golden Boot award with six goals, but appeared jaded as the tournament progressed.
We ask too much from the players, we constantly want them ready
Sky Sports pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher have urged Kane to be rested in fear of the No 9 burning out.
Kane bagged three league goals against Liverpool last season, making Klopp no stranger to the frontman’s potency up front.
“We all knew it after the World Cup, especially after England came that far [semi-finals], they have had no rest,” Klopp told Sky Sports News.
“Harry played from the first match on, so maybe he had two weeks holiday – that is nothing.
“He is a physical worker, he uses his body every day. He cannot get a rest match-wise but he will find his form and maybe at the weekend.
“A good pre-season should be at least three or four weeks.
“That is how it is, the body needs the time only to calm down from an intense season – they didn’t have it.”
Gareth Southgate echoed worries about the England captain during the recent international break, but still played the striker for over 120 minutes against Spain and Switzerland.
“Now with the Nations League, international managers cannot rest players because it is a proper competition,” Klopp reasoned.
“We ask too much from the players, we constantly want them ready and if they are not we are not happy. It is a weird situation.
“It is a constant challenge for all of us, we will deal with it and it will never be perfect.”