Harry Kane is largely recognised as one of the best strikers in the Premier League these days, but one thing he hasn’t mastered is the art of scoring at the start of the season.
Ahead of Tottenham’s 2018/19 league opener against Newcastle, the 25-year-old had played 13 Premier League games in August without scoring a goal, peculiar for a player with an astonishing record of 108 in 153 games.
0 – Harry Kane has never scored a Premier League goal in the month of August, despite playing 13 games, 898 minutes and attempting 44 shots. Peculiar. pic.twitter.com/CV7RyCrW8O
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 11, 2018
As such, even Spurs fans have begun to joke about the so-called curse.
Cannot believe it is September already, right @HKane?
— Hotspur Related (@HotspurRelated) August 11, 2018
Within the Premier League’s own fantasy football game however, Kane’s stature ensures he remains a popular selection, with almost a third of managers picking the 2018 World Cup Golden Boot winner for the first gameweek of the season.
SCOUT: 31.6% of #FPL managers will be delighted to see Harry Kane start
749,376 captained the England man and 28,305 handed him the triple captaincy at Newcastle #NEWTOT pic.twitter.com/v7CY57JN2u
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) August 11, 2018
People using kane in August pic.twitter.com/ZO92itQIjJ
— Charles Carey (@charliec178) August 11, 2018
They went unrewarded though, with Spurs winning 2-1 at St James’ Park after goals from Jan Vertonghen and Dele Alli.
Kane has now played almost 1,000 minutes of Premier League football in August, leading many to question why anyone would select Kane before September rolls around.
People actually have Kane in their team when we’re still in August.
— ŋAŋA yAw (@OseiEbnez) August 11, 2018
Fantasy players still captaining Kane in August? Y'all must be new 🤣
— Ricardo Jagpath (@_jaggy) August 11, 2018
All jokes aside, would Kane have benefited from an extended rest after a World Cup campaign which appeared to tire him?
Would Harry Kane score more goals in a season taking these first four games off and playing the rest fully fit than he would by rushing himself back and jeopardising his fitness further?
— Sean Walsh (@SeanDZWalsh) August 11, 2018
Tottenham face Fulham at home next – will Kane break his August duck then?