Chelsea return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday hoping to inflict more misery on their fiercest of rivals, while there will be two players going head to head for top honours.
Romelu Lukaku has returned to Chelsea and seemingly ended their number nine curse in an instant with four goals in four games, looking like a completely different player to the one who left Manchester United for Inter Milan in 2019.
And he will be facing off against former sparring partner Harry Kane, who also looks like a different player, but for all the wrong reasons.
Kane has only scored in the UEFA Conference League since his £150million move to Manchester City fell through, while in the Premier League he’s looked completely lifeless, with just two shots in three games.
It’s a stark contrast to Lukaku who’s been in breathtaking form since his return to England, but the pair still stand as two of the game’s best hitmen, and will be looking to prove it this weekend.
THE STATS
HARRY KANE
League goals: 166
Champions League goals: 20
Europa League goals: 13
International goals: 41
ROMELU LUKAKU
League goals: 163
Champions League goals: 14
Europa League goals: 20
International goals: 67
Kane’s only club goals of the season came against Pacos de Ferreira in Europe’s third tier, and he’s largely been a passenger in Tottenham’s start to the season.
Spurs had managed three wins from three to start the league campaign, but a worrying collapse against Crystal Palace has changed the picture drastically.
Kane has looked like his old self as England captain though, managing three goals in three games during the September international break, which Lukaku also matched for Belgium in a game less.
The pair have met 12 times in their career for club and country, with Kane registering six wins and four goals, leaving Lukaku with four wins and two goals.
However, unless things change quickly for Kane, that isn’t expected to be the case this weekend as the pair face off for the Premier League’s golden boot.
Former England and Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor has noticed a difference in Kane, putting his lack of effectiveness this season down to the way Spurs play.
“He’d be saying to Dele Ali and Lucas Moura that he needs more service and he is not getting the ball so he is having to drop deep,” he told talkSPORT.
“Kane would also be looking at the wingers and fullbacks to get beyond the opponents’ wingers and get the crosses in in the right areas, but I still think Harry Kane needs to play more as a striker and less of a number 10.
“Mainly, he’s got to look at himself and stop dropping off as deep, it works at some games but I’ve noticed recently that he’s dropping deep a bit too much, whereas the likes of Lukaku he drops deep here and there but he is always in the box, Kane is not in the box enough.”
GABBY’S VERDICT
“Lukaku just wants to score goals on goals, he’ll drop off into the midfield when he has to, but against Aston Villa I didn’t see him touch the ball apart from his goal. He stayed away to let the midfielders do their job, get the ball in the areas and there he was.
“You look at Lukaku’s first goal against Aston Villa, a bit of movement in from behind and that’s what he adds to his game that Kane hasn’t got.
“Kane has not got that pace that Lukaku’s got, so for me if I had to choose a striker I would choose Lukaku.”
HEADERS
Lukaku – 7/10
Kane – 6/10
STRENGTH
Lukaku – 10/10
Kane – 6/10
TOUCH
Lukaku – 7/10
Kane – 10/10
PLAYMAKING ABILITY
Lukaku – 7/10
Kane – 9/10
TEAMWORK
Lukaku – 9/10
Kane – 9/10
FINISHING
Lukaku – 8/10
Kane – 9/10
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