Four-goal Harry Kane reflects on 'perfect night' at Leicester after near-perfect season with Tottenham

Too quick, too intelligent and far too predatory, Kane was head and shoulders above his opposition as he fired four past the fearful Foxes

Harry Kane was at his very best as Tottenham hit Leicester for six (Getty)

It was the “perfect” night to cap off what has been, albeit from the concluding title outcome, a near-perfect season for Harry Kane.

Beneath a dreary, solemn East Midlands sky, the young Englishman was at his best against a patchwork Leicester City defence that looked wholly incapable of dealing with the forward. Too quick, too intelligent and far too predatory, Kane was head and shoulders above his opposition as he fired four past the fearful Foxes.

After breaking onto the scene in the 2014/15 season, any doubts over the forward - many tipped him as a one-trick pony - have since evaporated. Put simply, Kane is the real deal.

Mauricio Pochettino was effusive in his praise after Thursday night’s pulsating 6-1 victory, labelling Kane as “one of the best in the world”. Although the forward has yet to prove himself on the European stage, the signs are slowly starting to point in the right direction for the 23-year-old.

His struggles with injury this season could have quite easily hampered his form, confidence and abilities, but the forward’s stomping return to the game after two sizeable lay-offs during the season bears testament to an inner resilience and self-belief - qualities that mark some of the sport's very best.

“The biggest thing I am proud of is that I had two big injuries this season and I have been out for 11 weeks and to still be up there at the top of the Premier League, and to score 30 plus goals this season, is a big achievement for me and one that I am very proud of,” he said after Thursday’s victory at the King Power.

“Hopefully next season I can get off in the first game and get a couple of goals and go from there. And see what happens.”

The forward has now comfortably surpassed 70 league goals for Tottenham and it was the sort of hunger he showcased against Leicester on Thursday which made it clear why.

Kane overtook Romelu Lukaku as Premier League top scorer on Thursday evening (Getty)

Even in the dying stages of the game, with the result a foregone conclusion and a further three points in the bag, Kane was still at his incessant best, terrorising and harassing the Leicester backline in search of his hat-trick and then, remarkably, a fourth. The goals came within four minutes to all-but empty the King Power and reaffirm Kane’s superiority.

When asked about reaching the 100-goal mark, the England international said: “Yes, I think I said to someone the other day that it would be great if I can get to that 100 club by the end of next season. I am on 74 or 75 in the league.

“If there is another season like this then hopefully I can get to the 100. It would be a fantastic achievement.”

For now, though, his sights are set on retaining the Golden Boot. His four goals saw him pull ahead of rival Romelu Lukaku and with a trip to Hull on Sunday beckoning, Kane now has a very real chance of getting his hands back on the award.

“I am sure he [Lukaku] is not too happy! But there is still one game to go and I am sure that he is determined to score a hat trick on Sunday and they have a tough game against Arsenal.

"We have Hull away and I am looking to get a couple of goals hopefully. So there is still all to play for in my eyes but I could not have dreamt of scoring four tonight.”

Harry Kane put Leicester to the sword (AFP)

Indeed, it was a golden night for Kane, who admitted that the performance was “definitely up there” with some of his best, but that didn’t stop him from praising his team-mates for their contributions both on Thursday evening and throughout the season.

“It is the first time I have scored four goals in my professional career. To do that is an amazing feeling," he added. “I just wanted to get one or two tonight to take it to the final game but to score the extra two at the end made it the perfect night.

“It was a fantastic performance from everyone and I could not have done what I did this season without the team behind me. Dele [Alli] Sony [Son Heung-min], Christian [Eriksen], the guys at the back and midfield making it solid.

“Everyone was fantastic tonight and a bit disappointed not to keep a clean sheet for Hugo [Lloris], as he was going for the Golden Glove, but hopefully we can get that on Sunday and hopefully he can win that as well.”

With Kane leading the charge, there’s no doubt Spurs have the quality to be champions. It’s now a case of repeating this end-of-season form while on ‘holiday’ at Wembley and holding their nerve in the process. Only then will the wait for a league title end after 57 long years.