Kane Scores Again but Future at Tottenham Uncertain after 3-1 Loss to Brentford

Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Brentford - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - May 20, 2023 Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Brentford - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - May 20, 2023 Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)
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Kane Scores Again but Future at Tottenham Uncertain after 3-1 Loss to Brentford

Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Brentford - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - May 20, 2023 Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Brentford - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - May 20, 2023 Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)

Harry Kane scored a goal and lost the game in perhaps his final home appearance for Tottenham.

The England captain, who again has been linked with an offseason move away from Tottenham, curled home after an indirect free kick in the eighth minute only for Bryan Mbeumo to score twice and set up another goal in the second half for Brentford in its 3-1 win in the Premier League on Saturday.

Tottenham might now struggle to qualify for any European competition for next season, having come into the game in seventh place — the division's only qualifying spot for the third-tier Europa Conference League.

Brentford stayed in ninth place but is only one point behind Tottenham ahead of the teams' final games of the season next weekend.

Kane's 28th league goal this season was perhaps his best of the campaign as he picked out the top corner with a 25-meter shot after Dejan Kulusevski rolled the ball backward with the sole of his foot at a free kick. It put Kane eight goals behind the league's top scorer, Erling Haaland.

Kane will be 30 years old by the time next season starts. With only one year left on his contract, he and Tottenham might decide this summer is the time to part ways to give the club a chance to get some money for its star player and for him to get a better opportunity for trophies.

“Speculation is speculation,” said interim Tottenham manager Ryan Mason, whose latest short-term stint in charge is likely to end after the trip to Leeds on May 28.

“We do have an important game against Leeds and there will be conversations. There are massive decisions to make but we can't look too far ahead. That's after the last game of the season and those conversations will definitely happen.”

Kane was joined by the rest of the squad in coming back out onto the field at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the end-of-season lap of appreciation, when he was also awarded the club's player of the season award from fans.

By then, the majority of home supporters had left, with Tottenham having slipped to a fifth loss in its last seven games.

Mbeumo cut in from the left for both of his goals, in the 50th and 62nd minutes, and then led a counterattack before setting up Yoane Wissa for a composed finish to seal victory for Brentford in the 88th.

Brentford was without Ivan Toney, who was handed an eight-month suspension on Wednesday for breaching betting regulations.

Brentford hosts Manchester City in its last match.



United Boss Ten Hag Concedes Liverpool Have Advantage of Mature Team

Soccer Football - Premier League - Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester United - The American Express Community Stadium, Brighton, Britain - August 24, 2024 Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag reacts REUTERS/Tony O Brien/File photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Soccer Football - Premier League - Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester United - The American Express Community Stadium, Brighton, Britain - August 24, 2024 Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag reacts REUTERS/Tony O Brien/File photo Purchase Licensing Rights
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United Boss Ten Hag Concedes Liverpool Have Advantage of Mature Team

Soccer Football - Premier League - Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester United - The American Express Community Stadium, Brighton, Britain - August 24, 2024 Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag reacts REUTERS/Tony O Brien/File photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Soccer Football - Premier League - Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester United - The American Express Community Stadium, Brighton, Britain - August 24, 2024 Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag reacts REUTERS/Tony O Brien/File photo Purchase Licensing Rights

Liverpool are a more mature side than Manchester United, with the advantage of a cohesive team of established players, United manager Erik ten Hag said ahead of Sunday's Premier League clash between the bitter rivals at Old Trafford.

"Liverpool are in a different phase of the life cycle," Ten Hag told reporters. "We are much more mixed and we have to build a new team."

United have not beaten Liverpool in the league since a 2-1 win at Old Trafford in August 2022 though Ten Hag's men did prevail 4-3 over former Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp's side to win the FA Cup last season, according to Reuters.

Liverpool finished third in the league last season, five places and 22 points ahead of United, but Ten Hag said his side could take heart from their performance in the cup final.

"We can always win, last year we won (in the FA cup) in the second part of the season," the Dutchman said.

"(Liverpool) are a team who are clear in the relationship among their players. It's what (new manager Arne Slot) has inherited. It was built over the last few years."

Slot and Ten Hag have faced each other in the past during their time working in the Dutch top flight, with little to chose between them on paper.

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Both managers have two wins apiece against each other in the Eridivisie, with Sunday's match at Old Trafford their first head-to-head meeting since March 2022.

Liverpool have made a solid start to the season under Slot, who became their first manager since Graeme Souness in 1991 to win his two opening league games in charge with Sunday's 2-0 victory over Brentford.

United, on the other hand, dropped their first points of the campaign when they were beaten 2-1 at Brighton & Hove Albion last Saturday.

"One of the reasons I came here is I knew beforehand it would be the most difficult thing I could ever do in my life, to come in (to) a club with a lot of problems," added Ten Hag, who took charge of United in April 2022.

"I inherited a history of six years and no trophy. We're still in transition. We have young players, academy players, and now we have to construct a team for the future."