Kane out of United vs Spurs with hamstring strain

Tottenham striker Harry Kane is out of Saturday's trip to Manchester United due to the hamstring strain he sustained against Liverpool.

Kane sat out Wednesday's 3-2 EFL Cup loss to West Ham and Tottenham confirmed the injury via a brief statement on Twitter.

Harry Kane will miss Tottenham's crunch Premier League clash against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday after the club confirmed a minor strain to the left hamstring for its top scorer.

Kane has been in phenomenal form for Spurs this season, scoring 13 goals in 12 appearances across all competitions.

He netted a brace in last weekend's 4-1 thrashing of Liverpool at Wembley but was substituted during the closing stages, holding his left hamstring.

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The 24-year-old England international sat out Wednesday's 3-2 EFL Cup loss to West Ham and Tottenham confirmed the injury via a brief statement on Twitter.

"Harry Kane underwent assessment and investigation earlier this week, which confirmed a minor strain to the left hamstring," the tweet read.

Spurs are level on 20 points with second-placed United, five points shy of Premier League pacesetter Manchester City.

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Speaking at a pre-match news conference, manager Mauricio Pochettino said Wednesday's Champions League meeting with Real Madrid would now be a tentative target for Kane.

"The injury is very small but we cannot take a risk for tomorrow," he said.

"We'll see after for Wednesday against Real Madrid. But tomorrow, it is impossible.

"Always you want to have all the players available, so this is a problem. But, like always, we beleive in the collective, in the squad and during the season sometimes these things happen. We have to trust in other players.

"It is so difficult to cope with international duty and playing every three days. It is a small problem but he is unavailable for tomorrow."

Fernando Llorente is the obvious like-for-like replacement for Kane in Pochettino's squad but the former Athletic Bilbao and Swansea City striker took his run without a goal in Tottenham colours to nine appearances against West Ham in midweek.

Alternatively, Son Heung-min could lead the line with the onus on the South Korea international's pace and movement unsettling the United defence – an approach that worked to fine effect for Pochettino in last season's 2-0 win over Manchester City at White Hart Lane.