Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge believes that Harry Kane will only be rested in the Carabao Cup between now and the winter break for Tottenham Hotspur.
Spurs play 10 games between now and the mid-season break, six of which will be in the Premier League.
Speaking ahead of the upcoming fixture congestion back in August, Antonio Conte admitted that Kane would need resting at some stage.
The striker has played all but 12 of the club’s Premier League minutes this season and completed both of England’s games last month, as well as each of the three Champions League fixtures thus far.
However, despite Conte’s comments, Bridge believes that the manager can’t afford to rest their talisman.
He told GiveMeSport: “I think he’ll start every game bar Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup; I do.
“Just listening to Conte off-camera, when he speaks to the written press, he just mentions Kane all the time. I don’t think he can afford to not play him.
“Maybe if Tottenham win their two Champions League home games, then he might go with Heung-Min Son and Richarlison in the final game and Kane on the bench, but I think Conte would be getting seriously itchy feet.”
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Despite being overshadowed by the scintillating form of Erling Haaland at Manchester City, Kane has started the season brightly with eight goals in eight league matches – leaving him second in the race for the Golden Boot.
He is averaging a goal every 100 minutes and has scored almost half of the club’s tally for the campaign (20).
His availability is pivotal and an injury would be a big blow for Conte, but the Italian will have the difficult task of trying to correctly manage his minutes, with passage through to the last 16 of the Champions League still firmly in the balance.