Tottenham: Nuno Espirito Santo hopes Harry Kane’s season is back on track after hat-trick
The Spurs striker has not scored in his first five Premier League appearances of the season
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo hopes Harry Kane’s midweek hat-trick can help kickstart his Premier League season.
The England captain came off the bench to score a 20-minute treble in the 5-1Europa Conference League win over NS Mura.
Kane – on the back of an unsettling summer where he wanted to leave the club – has endured a difficult start to the domestic campaign, however, as he has yet to score in five Premier League outings going into this Sunday’s visit of Aston Villa.
He has not gone six Premier League games without scoring since 2015 and Nuno is banking on him continuing that run on the back of his European cameo.
“We all wish and hope so,” Nuno said. “This is what we need, all of the players in the best of their qualities for the team.”
Nuno, who won the manager of the month award for August, has found himself under pressure after a terrible September where Spurs lost all three games to an aggregate of 9-1.
He was heavily criticised for the way he set his team up in Sunday’s 3-1 north London derby defeat to Arsenal, but says that he does not let the public judgement affect him.
“Football is what it is. Criticism is something we have to be ready for,” he said.
“I understand the criticism but I don’t focus on this. My focus is helping the team finding solutions to help the players. This is what my focus is.
“During my career I had a lot of criticism and lots of good words and praise but nothing had changed. I keep being the same person.”
Spurs went some way to rebuilding confidence in midweek ahead of the visit of Villa, even though they were playing the lowest ranked team in the competition.
“The game itself changes a lot of things, but it doesn’t erase the all the problems that we have,” Nuno added.
“It makes things easier with the confidence we have, with the good mood to prepare everyone better so it was important but we know Sunday will be a different game against a very good opponent.
“They have a talented squad and a very good manager so it’s a tough, tough task we have ahead of us. But we will be ready. The home factor will be huge for us. The support of our fans and the atmosphere, we will compete and play the game.”
Spurs will still be without Steven Bergwijn and Ryan Sessegnon while defender Ben Davies looks set to miss out with an appendix issue.
Nuno said of the Welsh left-back: “He has a problem on an inflammation on his appendix. He has been taken care of, he has had some scans, but he was not able to play [on Thursday], he was in pain.
“We wish that he recovers soon and he can join us.”