Harry Kane admits need to manage his fitness as England friendlies loom

Harry Kane says it will be important for him to monitor the hamstring that he damaged recently, as Mauricio Pochettino hopes his policy of protecting the key Tottenham Hotspur striker is replicated on England duty.

Pochettino has been so conscious of the demands placed on Kane – including at England level – that he has played him for the full 90 minutes only twice since the September international break. During the same period, England have played four times – against Malta, Slovakia, Slovenia and Lithuania – and Kane has completed the 90 minutes on each occasion.

Kane absorbed a heavy challenge from Crystal Palace’s Tim Fosu-Mensah on Sunday – in the early stages of Tottenham’s 1-0 win – and, although he continued after treatment, Pochettino would withdraw him in the 77th minute. The Tottenham manager has urged Gareth Southgate, his England counterpart, to handle Kane with care during the break, when England face Germany and Brazil in prestige friendlies.

Kane injured a hamstring in the win over Liverpool on 22 October and he was forced to sit out the games against West Ham United in the Carabao Cup and Manchester United – both of which Tottenham lost. He returned for last Wednesday’s Champions League win over Real Madrid.

“The hamstrings are fine but look, we’ve got keep an eye on it,” Kane said. “It’s something that happened and we don’t want it to happen again. It’s about maintaining it. It’s a long old season.

“The knock in the first half of the Palace game was still niggling. It was a sore one. The manager makes the decisions for the team and he obviously thought that was the best decision.

“It will be down to Gareth for the England games. It isn’t my call. Gareth will make the decision based on what he thinks is best for the players and the team. If I’m fit and called upon, I’m happy to play. It’s always an honour to play for my country. I’d never turn that down.

“It’s always the case that I have to manage my fitness. We play so many games and we’ve had so many high intensity games – it takes it out of you. The manager does his best to keep everyone in the best shape possible and I’m sure Gareth will do the same.”

Kane’s club-mate Dele Alli has dropped out of the England squad after he sustained a hamstring injury and another Spurs player, Harry Winks, is to be assessed after twisting an ankle.

Southgate on Monday called up the Everton defender Michael Keane. The 24-year-old centre-back has the chance to earn his fifth England cap, having featured for Everton in the 3-2 win over Watford after recovering from a leg infection.

“Keane has now been added to the group of players due to report to St George’s Park today, ahead of the upcoming double-header at Wembley Stadium,” the Football Association said in a statement.

Southgate handed call-ups to Tammy Abraham, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Joe Gomez as he unveiled his squad last week, with no place for Liverpool’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Daniel Sturridge. England host the world champions Germany on Friday and meet Brazil four days later.