Harry Kane to 'keep an eye' on hamstrings as Tottenham striker seeks to manage workload

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane has emphasised the importance of continuing to monitor a recent hamstring injury and controlling his workload with both club and country as he bids to avoid spending any more time in the treatment room.

The influential academy graduate, who endured two separate stints on the sidelines last season due to ankle ligament damage, recently missed the 1-0 Premier League defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford after picking up a minor strain of his left hamstring during a handsome win against Liverpool.

Such an absence proved to be short-lived as Kane returned to the starting lineup for a famous triumph over Real Madrid, although there were further concerns over the weekend when the 24-year-old took a knock to the ankle during the first half of a meeting with Crystal Palace.

Kane received treatment and eventually played on until the 77th minute of a rather unconvincing 1-0 win over Roy Hodgson's relegation candidates before he was replaced by Fernando Llorente.

Pochettino insisted after the game that such a substitution was merely a precautionary measure designed to avoid any unnecessary risk and insisted the player was fine to link up with England.

However, he urged some caution with regards to his involvement in upcoming friendlies against Germany and Brazil as Tottenham look ahead to their next top-flight fixture - the small matter of a north London derby clash on 18 November.

Spurs could already be without first-choice goalkeepers Hugo Lloris (thigh) and Michel Vorm (knee) and defender Toby Alderweireld (hamstring) for that short trip to Arsenal, while Victor Wanyama (knee) may not return in 2018 and the wait for Erik Lamela (hips) to make his first appearance in more than 12 months continues.

Dele Alli has already withdrawn from the England squad with a hamstring issue and compatriot Harry Winks may yet do likewise after he twisted an ankle on Sunday.

Providing an update on his own fitness after that win over Palace, Kane was quoted as saying by Sky Sports: "The hamstrings are fine, but look, we've got to keep an eye on it. It's something that happened and we don't want it to happen again. It's about maintaining it, it's a long old season so we go away now and we do a bit of work and hopefully get ready for Friday.

"The knock in the first half was still niggling. It was a sore one. The manager makes the decisions for the team and he obviously thought that was the best decision. I do everything I can when I play whether it's 90 minutes or 70 minutes, that's all I can do."

While it might be wise for Southgate to proceed carefully with Kane this week, the player insists he would not reject the chance to start for the Three Lions in both high-profile matches at Wembley.

"We play so many games and we've had so many high intensity games - United, Madrid, Liverpool - it takes it out of you," he added. "The manager does his best here at Tottenham to keep everyone in the best shape possible and I'm sure Gareth will do the same.

"Whether I play both games, that isn't my call, it's down to Gareth. Gareth will make the decision based on what he thinks is best for the players and the team. If I'm fit and called upon I'm happy to play. It's always an honour to play for my country, I'd never turn that down, so we'll see what happens."