Spurs’ hat-trick hero must start against Newcastle, but where?

Tottenham finally sprung to life in the Europa League when beating Asteras Tripolis at White Hart Lane in matchweek three, with the 5-1 victory containing almost everything a football game should, bar a brawl.

Erik Lamela scored the most outrageous goal of this, or any other, season and there was even time for a comedy defensive calamity, as Harry Kane fumbled a free-kick over the line when deputising for Hugo Lloris, who was sent off late on.

Luckily the England U21 international’s exploits at his more natural end of the pitch had put him deep in credit, scoring a hat-trick to take his continental tally for the term to five in four appearances.

Despite his ruthlessness in front of goal on a Thursday night, Kane has played just 41 minutes of Premier League football for the 11/2 top-four hopefuls, but has surely smashed the door to a top-flight start off its hinges with his latest showing.

Spurs entertain Alan Pardew’s struggling Newcastle side in their next domestic assignment and it’s a perfect opportunity to blood Kane from the first whistle, although where he fits into the XI is something of a conundrum.

The 21-year-old started just off Emmanuel Adebayor against the Greeks and it’s unclear whether the man Tim Sherwood aptly described as a number 9½ is capable of leading Tottenham’s line on his own against the country’s best defences.

Playing Kane behind either Adebayor or Roberto Soldado would also tread on Christian Eriksen’s toes, something Mauricio Pochettino would do well to avoid considering the Dane has been in stellar form for the Lilywhites.

With the two senior strikers combining for just one goal so far, though, there’s really no harm in testing the theory that Kane can be Spurs’ first choice up top.

The Walthamstow wonder is 5/1 to score the first goal against the Magpies.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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