Wednesday 18 April 2018 17:52, UK
Former Tottenham striker Les Ferdinand believes Harry Kane acted honestly when he claimed a goal initially awarded to team-mate Christian Eriksen.
The England striker said Eriksen's winning goal glanced his shoulder on its way into the net during the 2-1 victory at Stoke.
Eriksen was credited with the goal but it was later switched to Kane after an appeal to the Premier League, which prompted a stream of criticism and jibes on social media.
Ferdinand, who worked with Kane while on the coaching staff at White Hart Lane, says it was simply a striker's instinct.
"I think most centre-forwards, if they get a nick, even if it's just a hair, you're claiming it," he said.
"I worked with Harry and I know Harry and he's one of the most honest people I've come across in football, so if he says he got a nick, I'm believing he got a nick.
"You see it week in, week out, where the ball is going in and someone sticks a foot on the end of it to tap it in.
"He put himself in a position, he says he got a nick on it, so I believe he got a nick on it."
The claim has boosted Kane's chances of winning the Golden Boot for the Premier League's top scorer.
He is four adrift of Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, who is only the eighth player in Premier League history to hit the 30-goal mark.
But with four games left, Ferdinand believes it is too early to write Kane off.
"Is it over? I don't think so," he said. "I think if you speak to Harry Kane he knows he's got a hat-trick or two left in him.
"He'll be chomping at the bit. There are games left where he can still score goals, so he'll be looking to score the goals which might give him the boot for the third year in a row.
"But Mo Salah's done exceptionally well this season and if he does get it he will have deserved it because it's tough to score goals in the Premier League."
