‘If he has one leg he has to play!’ – Antonio Conte won’t do without Harry Kane

Antonio Conte joked that Harry Kane would start for Tottenham at Burnley even if he had only one leg.

The England captain suffered a knock to his back during Saturday’s impressive 3-2 win at Manchester City, where he put in a dazzling display, scoring two goals and having a hand in the other.

Kane’s importance to the Spurs side is obvious, even without considering they have no back-up striker, and Conte tapped into his humour to make the point.

“He had a hit in his back but he has to play!” the Italian said. “If he has one leg he has to play.

“Harry knows very well the importance he has on the squad for his personality, for his experience. But he is good.

“I am joking, I don’t force a player if he is injured to play. I only say to tell you the importance of the player. He is good, he is ready.”

The 28-year-old, who tried to leave his boyhood club in the summer amid frustration at a lack of progress, has taken to working under Conte and has begun to regain the form that has made him one of the most prolific frontmen in the Premier League.

Asked about how crucial Kane is, Conte recalled a quote from an old friend in Italy.

There is a sporting director in Italy, my friend, whose name is Pantaleo Corvino. He says, 'You can make mistake about your wife but not about the striker'. - Spurs head coach Antonio Conte

He quipped: “There is a sporting director in Italy, my friend, whose name is Pantaleo Corvino. He says, ‘You can make mistake about your wife but not about the striker’.

“You understand? For me that is the best quote that I understand in football, no? You can make a mistake about your wife but not mistakes about your striker.”

While Kane is delivering at the top of his game now, Ryan Sessegnon has been billed as one