Wayne Rooney would be "delighted" if Harry Kane surpasses him as England's record goalscorer, but hopes it happens before the 2022 World Cup.

Kane matched Bobby Charlton on 49 goals for the Three Lions when he struck the winner against Switzerland on March 26.

However, Gareth Southgate chose to rotate his squad for last week's meeting with Ivory Coast at Wembley.

England cruised to a 3-0 win, with Kane coming on in the 62nd minute, though the Tottenham striker did not score.

Rooney was stunned the forward, who he labelled as "one of the best players the Premier League has seen", did not start against Ivory Coast, as he believes it would be better for England if Kane breaks the record prior to the World Cup, which starts in November.

"I'd be delighted for him," Rooney said on Sky Sports. "I was so surprised he didn't play against Ivory Coast.

"I think for him, for Gareth as well, he should try and get that record before the World Cup so it doesn't become a distraction, so I would have played him to try and get that record before the World Cup comes along, so there's no distraction on it."

The Derby County boss was also asked if Kane, who he also called a "genuine, nice, humble guy" will go on to surpass Alan Shearer as the Premier League's record goalscorer. The 28-year-old is currently 82 short of the haul of 260.

"I think he gets it, I think he beats Shearer. He's young enough to do that, if you look at his numbers, he'll have no problem," Rooney said.

Kane turned in a star performance in Spurs' thrashing of Newcastle United on Sunday. He provided one assist, but was involved heavily as Antonio Conte's team moved into the top four.

After a slow start to the season, Kane now has 12 league goals and six assists, and Rooney is thrilled to see how the forward has developed his game, in particular under Conte.

"When you get a bit older you lose that sharpness but I don't think it’s the case with Harry," Rooney added. 

"I think over the last couple of seasons, he has been dropping deeper, and I think this is the first time it looks like it's worked on. If you look every time the ball is played into him, Tottenham have got players sprinting and that allows him to use his quality. He can do both. He can play as a nine, a 10, he's an incredible player.

"I think Harry Kane of three, four years ago, all he's thinking about goals. Now he's thinking goals and assists.

"I've been there, I used to love assisting goals, so I know he wants to get the goalscoring record but I think he wants to get the assist record as well and he's capable of doing it.

"He's not old, he's a fairly young lad, I don't think his speed will have gone, I think he's done that on his own back but what Conte's done is he's gone in and worked on it. If you look at the reaction of the other players, they know he can deliver that pass. It's almost like [Francesco] Totti at Roma, he'd come deep and they'd have runners going beyond him.

"The one thing I think he needs to do a bit more is go and join in, once he's played the pass, because if it comes into the box he's the one player you want to be on the end of it."

Kane has assisted 40 goals in the Premier League; his first 20 assists were spread across his first 211 appearances in the competition, while his last 20 have come in his last 63 matches.

The north London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham has been rearranged for Thursday, May 12, the Premier League has confirmed.

The Gunners caused a stir in the middle of January when they successfully appealed for their clash at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to be postponed, citing a COVID-19 outbreak within their squad.

The league opted to reschedule for a later date, despite Arsenal – who had injury problems, Granit Xhaka suspended and four players at the Africa Cup of Nations – reporting just one positive coronavirus test.

Questions were raised over the legitimacy of the postponement, with Spurs announcing they were "extremely surprised" at the decision, and Antonio Conte reminded Mikel Arteta he had not forgotten the call-off in March when the Spaniard bemoaned scheduling issues.

Nevertheless, the fixture will take place on the penultimate week of the season, just 10 days before the conclusion of the Premier League, and could decide who secures the final Champions League spot.

Tottenham overtook their local rivals on goal difference on Sunday with a 5-1 thrashing of Newcastle United, but Arsenal can reclaim fourth spot with victory at Crystal Palace on Monday.

Even after the visit to Selhurst Park, Mikel Arteta's Gunners will still have a game in hand on Conte's top-four chasers.

However, the rearranged derby has also brought more changes to the schedule of Arsenal, who will now face Leeds United on Sunday, May 8 and Newcastle on Monday, May 16 either side of the Spurs clash.

Antonio Conte labelled Dejan Kulusevski a "great signing for the present and for the future" after his superb start to life in the Premier League continued in Tottenham's 5-1 win over Newcastle United on Sunday.

The Sweden international was a January deadline day arrival from Juventus and has made a strong early impression in the Premier League, recording his fifth assist in the emphatic victory.

Having also scored twice in that period, Kulusevski has helped lift the attacking burden from Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son since arriving.

"We are talking about a player that I know very well, because he played in Italy," Conte said. "He started to play with Atalanta, then Atalanta [sent] him on loan to Parma, and he played in Serie A, and he played in a fantastic way.

"We are talking about a player who is only 21 years old, and he has to continue to play this way, because he's strong physically, big engine, he's good technically.

"I think for Tottenham this is a great signing for the present and for the future. We are talking about really, really strong."

In addition to Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur arrived from Juventus on deadline day this year and the two have blossomed under Conte at Spurs.

The Tottenham boss believes the two signings have helped them fill a positional need and find balance.

"I said that with these two players despite that we lost four players in January, with these two signings we made this squad more complete, with more balance," Conte said.

"I think that it's very important in football to have a clear idea, and to have a good vision. Because in this way, the situation is more simple."

Fourth in the Premier League, Tottenham will travel to face Aston Villa this Saturday.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is not willing to be drawn into mind games with Tottenham counterpart Antonio Conte and is instead focused on getting the most out of his players.

Conte last week stated that Spurs would require "a miracle" to finish fourth place in the Premier League.

Tottenham increased the pressure on Arsenal by hammering Newcastle United 5-1 on Sunday to leapfrog their north London rivals into the final Champions League qualification spot.

However, the Gunners are only behind Tottenham on goal difference and have two games in hand, the first of those coming away at Crystal Palace on Monday.

Conte's comments were perceived as being psychological tactics ahead of a potentially tense run-in that will see the fierce rivals do battle in a rescheduled game.

But Arteta, who was named Manager of the Month for March, is only interested in deploying such tactics internally.

"I don't know if we are favourites [for the top four]," Arteta said. "That is a question for [Conte]. 

"But what we want to do is very clear and the perception of what people think is not going to change it."

When asked if he is a manager who wants to engage in mind games, Arteta replied: "I do it more with my players, I think.

"I do it more with the players, if I have to, to get what I want from them. I can't tell you how I do it because they will know what they are doing and that is the whole point!"

Arsenal have won six of their past seven games ahead of their trip to Palace, who are managed by Gunners midfield legend Patrick Vieira.

Arteta's side have won each of their past five away top-flight matches, which is their best run since a streak of eight in a row between March and September 2013.

That is a remarkable turnaround following their worst start to a Premier League campaign when losing their first three games, and Arteta is confident his young squad can maintain their form.

"There is nothing different; they have already been dealing with [the pressure] for weeks," he said. 

"This is a conversation we have had now for over six to eight weeks, so they have already been through that and have responded really, really well.

"There is nothing new because they have already been doing it and capable of doing it."

Arsenal have lost just one of their past 16 away league games against Palace (W8 D7), though that defeat did come in a Monday game back in April 2017 (3-0).

James Maddison's importance to Leicester City is of little debate, but the Foxes are considering selling the playmaker.

Though the 25-year-old's sole senior England cap came in 2019, he has provided 13 goals and eight assists in 41 appearances across all competitions this season.

However, Maddison's sale might be required to facilitate the Foxes strengthening in other areas.

TOP STORY – MADDISON SALE TO FUND LEICESTER REVAMP

Leicester are weighing up the prospect of Maddison's sale in order to make new signings, the Daily Mail has reported.

Manager Brendan Rodgers wants three new additions to propel the Foxes up the Premier League following a season in which they have plateaued.

Leicester will reportedly back Rodgers, but the impact of coronavirus on their finances would likely mean outgoing as well as incoming transfers, and Maddison holds one of the higher market values at the club.

The 25-year-old's £50million price tag would provide serious flexibility in the transfer market, while the club also has to make decisions on Caglar Soyuncu and Youri Tielemans.

ROUND-UP

–  Barcelona want to confirm a contract extension for Ronald Araujo , who has received an offer from Manchester United, according to Sport, but the 23-year-old has viewed this club's pursuit of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen with caution.

–  Arsenal and Tottenham are keen to sign Lautaro Martinez , but Inter will only sell if they meet a transfer demand in excess of €80million (£67.3m), per Calciomercato.

– The Sun is reporting Newcastle are preparing a £20million offer for Brighton and Hove Albion goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, while also showing interest in Watford's Ismaila Sarr.

–  Manchester United target Manuel Akanji wants to leave Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season and is considering a move to the Premier League, according to Sport1.

Tottenham roared to fourth in the Premier League with a 5-1 thumping of Newcastle United as Son Heung-min scored one and created another.

Fabian Schar gave visitors Newcastle a first-half lead when he struck a free-kick past Hugo Lloris, but Ben Davies levelled within four minutes when he converted Son's cross.

Antonio Conte's home side required just three minutes of the second period to turn the game around as Matt Doherty's header gave them the lead, before Son rifled home after 54 minutes and Emerson Royal added gloss with a 63rd-minute fourth. Steven Bergwijn made it a five-goal show for the hosts when he struck in the 83rd minute.

Spurs now sit fourth in the Premier League table, above local rivals Arsenal on goal difference, ahead of the Gunners facing Crystal Palace on Monday.

Harry Kane finished without a goal but was heavily involved. He shot wide of the bottom-left corner after 15 minutes, before Cristian Romero made a stunning block to deny Joe Willock at the other end.

The Magpies took a shock lead when Schar's free-kick found the bottom-right corner after 39 minutes, with Lloris getting a weak hand to the ball on its way past him.

Spurs were soon level though, with Davies meeting Son's left-wing cross to divert a superb glancing header past Martin Dubravka.

Having found the perfect response at the end of the first half, Tottenham made a superb start to the second, Doherty stooping to head home Kane's cross at the back post after 48 minutes.

The much-improved hosts effectively ended the contest after 54 minutes, the impressive Son latching on to Kulusevksi's right-footed cross before powering a close-range shot past Dubrakva.

Emerson stabbed home a close-range fourth shortly after the hour mark, before Son missed a glorious one-on-one chance after latching onto Kane's pass. Spurs still found time to add a fifth, with substitute Bergwijn slotting past Dubravka from Lucas Moura's pass to complete the rout.

What does it mean? Spurs boost top-four hopes with quickfire turnaround

Four goals from the 43rd minute to the 63rd minute turned a difficult contest into a rampant win for Conte's men, who have now won five of their last six league games.

Conte's men have also scored two or more goals in each of the six matches, last doing so in more consecutive league games between February and April 2017 (a run of seven).

Son continues home hot streak

Son's goal was his ninth in his last nine league outings at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, while his tally of 11 home goals cannot be matched by any other Premier League player this term.

This is the first campaign in which Son has ever reached double figures for home league goals, as the in-form South Korea international continues to play a crucial role in Spurs' top-four charge.

Davies ends long drought with help from creative Son

Davies' equaliser represented his first Premier League goal since September 2017 (against Huddersfield), and ended the Wales man's run of 108 league appearances without netting.

Meanwhile, Son's assist was his 45th in the Premier League, matching the tally Aaron Lennon managed for Spurs in the competition. Only Darren Anderton (68) and Christian Eriksen (62) now have more for the club.

What's next? 

Tottenham's next Premier League outing sees them travel to Aston Villa for an early evening kick-off next Saturday, while Newcastle will host Wolves on Friday.

Tottenham great David Ginola disagrees with Antonio Conte's assertion that Spurs need a "miracle" to finish in the top four, but is not convinced that will be enough to keep Harry Kane happy.

Conte has repeatedly attempted to manage expectations around the North London side, insisting on Friday that Manchester United and Arsenal should be favoured for fourth place, rather than his side.

Spurs have won four of their last five Premier League games, having lost four of their previous five, and are three points behind fourth-placed Arsenal – with a crucial North London derby still to be rearranged – heading into Sunday's clash with Newcastle United  

Ginola, who made exactly 100 Premier League appearances during a three-year spell at White Hart Lane, believes Tottenham have Champions League qualification "in their own hands".

"A miracle? I don't think so," Ginola said to Sky Sports ahead of Tottenham's meeting with Newcastle. "If they win all their games until the end of the season, they can finish in the top four. 

"Their destiny is in their own hands. If they play the way they can play, if they have no injuries and the players realise their duty for the rest of the season, looking at the remaining fixtures, it's very simple for Spurs.

"Antonio Conte will be crucial, and on the pitch, it will be [important] for Kane and Son Heung-Min to score the goals."

Kane was named Premier League Player of the Month for a joint-record seventh time on Friday, having recorded six goal contributions (four goals and two assists) during a largely successful month for Spurs.

Tottenham's 12 goals in March represented the highest tally recorded by any Premier League side but the England captain's future remains a topic of debate after he handed in a transfer request before the start of the season.

The 28-year-old failed to force through a move to reigning champions Manchester City, but Ginola believes he will not be content with qualifying for the Champions League and needs to challenge for trophies.

"For a player of his calibre, playing year-in, year-out, just to be in the top four, it's not enough," he added added.

"If he's got propositions in the future to play with clubs who will challenge for and win trophies, that's where he could [leave]. At the end of your career, what you look at is the list of trophies that you won."

Kane has hit 12 goals and five assists in Premier League action this season, with his telepathic partnership with fellow forward Son keeping Spurs in top-four contention. 

Over half of Kane's career Premier League assists to date (20 of 39) have set up the South Korea forward, with only Frank Lampard (24 for Didier Drogba) and David Silva (21 for Sergio Aguero) ever teeing up another player on more occasions in the competition.  

Tottenham boss Antonio Conte claims that achieving a top-four finish in the Premier League will require a "miracle" as he prepares for Sunday's clash with Newcastle United.

Spurs have won four of their last five Premier League games, having lost four of their previous five. They have also scored at least two goals in each of their last five matches, last doing so in more consecutive league games between February and April 2017 (a run of seven games).

Ahead of welcoming Newcastle to north London, Spurs trail fourth-placed Arsenal by just three points, but Conte was keen to highlight that his team are not favourites to finish in the Champions League places.

"It's right to underline that this target is very, very difficult," Conte said of Spurs' Champions League ambitions.

"We are not the only team that wants to try to do this miracle. There's also Arsenal, that in this moment has an advantage, and then there is United.

"United is the team that in this season are struggling a lot. Last season, it was Liverpool. 

"This season it depends on United. At the moment, we are among the teams that have to try to stay very close and exploit if someone fails this season.

"If you ask me about the past, about our possibility to reach a place in the Champions League, I would say it would be very, very, very difficult.

"Now, after five months, I'm seeing great improvement of my team, and we have to fight until the end. 

"We have the possibility to reach this target, and it's important to have this type of ambition and put pressure on ourselves for this target. To play Champions League next season is important for me, the club, the players, the fans, everybody."

Conte, however, was keen to focus on his own team's progress, though he did admit that a victory would put "pressure" on the Gunners.

"First of all, we have to win for us," he added. "Not look at others. This way you build a winning mentality. You have to look at yourself and not think what happens elsewhere. 

"For sure, if you get three points and get continuity, you show you're a stable team and the table becomes very interesting. 

"But we have to win for us, for our fans and the work we're doing at the club. But for sure, if you win you put pressure on the others."

Harry Kane has been named March's Premier League Player of the Month, winning the award for a joint-record seventh time in his career.

The England captain's award takes him level with former Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero, the only other man to have won it on seven occasions, and represents his first monthly prize since December 2017.

Tottenham's talisman scored four goals in March, netting a brace in a 5-0 home thrashing of Everton, as well as getting on the scoresheet in an away win over Brighton and Hove Albion and in Spurs' 3-2 defeat at Manchester United.

Kane ended the month's league action by recording two assists for Son Heung-min as Antonio Conte's side recorded a crucial London derby victory over West Ham, taking him to 17 league goal involvements this season (12 goals and five assists).

His fruitful month also saw him move level with Bobby Charlton's tally of 49 England goals, just four goals shy of Wayne Rooney's Three Lions record of 53 strikes, with a penalty against Switzerland during the international break. 

After teeing him up twice against the Hammers, Kane has provided 20 Premier League assists for Son in the Premier League, accounting for over half of the forward's 39 assists in the competition to date. 

Only Frank Lampard (who assisted Didier Drogba 24 times) and David Silva (21 assists for Aguero) have teed up one team-mate more often in Premier League history.

The Spurs duo have also linked up for a total of 39 Premier League goals, three clear of the previous record set by Lampard and Drogba, which they surpassed in February's 4-0 thrashing of Leeds United.

Spurs' push for Champions League qualification will resume on Sunday when they host Newcastle United, against whom Kane has seven goal involvements (five goals, two assists) in his last four league appearances.

It's matchday 31. The run-in requires points, and lots of them.

Of course, picking the players who earn surprise points is a big part of fantasy football, but at this point of the season, do you really want to be taking risks?

With that in mind, let Stats Perform lead you by the hand with Opta data as we pick four players who might just give you those precious extra points in the latest Premier League gameweek.

EDOUARD MENDY (Chelsea v Brentford)

Edouard Mendy provides value, given Chelsea have won their previous five matches and will be facing a Brentford severely down on form, having won only two in 11 (against Norwich City and Burnley).

Despite the turbulent circumstances the Blues have faced of late, they powered into this past international window, with four clean sheets in their past five league games.

Among all Premier League goalkeepers with a minimum of 450 minutes played in 2022, only Alisson has kept more clean sheets and conceded fewer goals per 90 than Mendy.

BEN WHITE (Crystal Palace v Arsenal)

Aside from their loss at home to a Liverpool side that is rolling at present, Arsenal have been in otherwise solid form of late.

Clean sheets against Aston Villa and Leicester City sandwich the Liverpool defeat, and Ben White has been a pivotal figure in the Gunners' defensive output.

Among Premier League central defenders this season, Ben White has the second-highest tally of clean sheets with 13, behind only Virgil van Dijk's 17. The last time Arsenal kept more in a single campaign was in 2015-16 (18).

MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool v Watford)

This might be stating the obvious, but if you can afford Salah, bring him in and make him your captain straight away like he's an old professional playing Sunday League.

Mohamed Salah has been in intimidatingly great form this season, and in the thick of a Premier League title race, rotation from Jurgen Klopp coming out of an international break is unlikely.

The Egyptian attacker averages a goal or assist every 57 minutes against Watford, the fourth-best ratio one player has against a club in Premier League history, with a 600-minute cut-off.

With nine goals and two assists in seven games against the Hornets, only versus West Ham (12 goal involvements) has Salah been more productive since he arrived in Liverpool.

SON HEUNG-MIN (Tottenham v Newcastle United)

Despite Tottenham's somewhat volatile form in the New Year, Son Heung-min has been one of the few constants for Spurs since his return from a hamstring injury.

In the nine games since his February return, the 29-year-old has provided five goals and two assists. He has come to life under Antonio Conte in 2022, with his eight Premier League goal involvements this calendar year bettered by only Harry Kane (12).

Meanwhile, of the Premier League's top ten players in goal involvements, only Bruno Fernandes (29) and Kevin de Bruyne (23) have created more chances than Son (21), which is all the more impressive given he's not Spurs set-piece taker.

Everton have endured a nightmarish season and currently find themselves in the Premier League's relegation scramble.

The Toffees are sitting only three points above the relegation zone, despite two games in hand on 18th-placed Watford.

Just as pertinent is their financial situation, which will reportedly force them into having to sell one of their most valuable assets.

TOP STORY – EVERTON TO CHOOSE BETWEEN RICHARLISON AND CALVERT-LEWIN

The Sun is reporting Richarlison or Dominic Calvert-Lewin will have to leave Everton in order for the club to balance their books.

Their latest figures revealed a £121million loss in the last financial year, and one of the two strikers will now have to be sold.

Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin are Everton's two highest goal scorers still at the club since the latter arrived in 2016. The Brazilian has scored 47 in 142 appearances in all competitions, while the former Sheffield United man has tallied 55 in 180 games.

Richarlison is a reported target for Manchester United, Barcelona and Real Madrid, with Arsenal apparently keeping a close eye on Calvert-Lewin's situation.

ROUND-UP

– England midfielder Kalvin Phillips has told Leeds United he wants to sign a new contract, potentially warding off interest from the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle, per The Mirror.

– According to ESPN, Anthony Martial could be used to create a package deal from Manchester United for Tottenham's Harry Kane .

– Le Parisien report N'Golo Kante turned down an offer to leave Chelsea for Paris Saint-Germain in January.

– Milan have cooled on Real Madrid's Marco Asensio due to the 26-year-old's wage demands, as reported by Tuttosport.

Barcelona's rebuild under Xavi has shown positive signs, but a new striker appears to be a priority going forward.

Following Sergio Aguero's retirement in December, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang arrived during the January transfer window and quickly excelled under Xavi, but his position may yet come under threat.

Memphis Depay remains the club's top scorer this season, netting 10 times in all competitions, yet one potential signing guarantees goals.

TOP STORY – LEWANDOWSKI SETTLES ON BARCELONA MOVE

Barcelona have reportedly reached an agreement with Robert Lewandowski.

Sport claims the Poland striker wants to leave Bayern Munich for the Catalan giants, but they will have to convince Bayern to sell him.

The 33-year-old's contract expires at the end of next season and he is yet to agree to an extension in Bavaria.

Lewandowski has scored 45 goals in all competitions this term, and Barca are reportedly willing to pay as much as €60million to bring him to Camp Nou for next season.

ROUND-UP

– Tottenham are leading the race to sign Memphis Depay, per reports in Mundo Deportivo.

– Napoli have set a price tag of €100million for striker Victor Osimhen, according to Corriere dello Sport.

– The Mirror is reporting Ainsley Maitland-Niles is expected not to be retained by Roma, on loan from Arsenal.

– Inter show continued interest in Torino's Gleison Bremer, with talks in progress with a defender also linked to Milan, per Fabrizio Romano.

Hugo Lloris hailed the work of Antonio Conte for inspiring Tottenham to make "real progression" and putting them in contention for European football.

The France international's future in north London was doubtful in January with just six months left on his contract and the option to negotiate with foreign clubs for an end-of-season free transfer.

However, Spurs captain Lloris committed his future to Conte's project by signing a new two-and-a-half-year deal to keep him at the Premier League club until the end of the 2023-24 season.

While Spurs' form nosedived initially in the wake of Lloris' extension announcement, losing four of their following five Premier League matches, things had started to look up again prior to the international window.

Spurs went into the break having won four out of their past five games in the league, form that has seen them climb up to fifth place with nine fixtures left.

While they remain three points behind fourth-placed Arsenal, who have played one match fewer, Lloris credited Conte for restoring belief at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

"I extended a month and a half ago. Things were done fairly quickly with the leaders, with a lot of respect and consideration," Lloris said in an interview with Europe 1, as quoted by FootMercato.

"It's been two and a half years that we've known ups and downs, irregularity in terms of results. But since the arrival of Conte, we feel a real progression.

"We have the feeling that we are crossing a plateau. I think we will be ready to go for the European places."

The 35-year-old will be hoping Spurs can continue their push for a place in the top four after the international break when they host Newcastle United on April 3.

Harry Kane is the world's best striker and can land another World Cup Golden Boot this year, says England team-mate Luke Shaw.

Tottenham ace Kane scored the winner for England from the penalty spot in Saturday's 2-1 friendly success against Switzerland at Wembley.

That goal 12 minutes from time, after Shaw had cancelled out Breel Embolo's header, took Kane level with Bobby Charlton as England's joint-second all-time top scorer.

Only Wayne Rooney has scored more goals in an England shirt, with the former Manchester United frontman having netted 53 compared to Kane and Charlton's 49 strikes.

With seven England games pencilled in between now and the World Cup, Kane may well break that goalscoring record before Qatar 2022 gets up and running in November.

On current form, Shaw is backing his Three Lions colleague to finish top of the scoring charts in the global showpiece, having previously done so in Russia four years ago.

"I don't see why not," Shaw told beIN SPORTS. "For me, at the moment, the way he's playing, he's one of the best strikers in the world, probably the best.

"So hopefully he can keep that form up, keep it going. He's showing it week in, week out at the moment, and it's a joy to watch.

"Long may that continue, and I’m sure he will be hunting another Golden Boot and all the other records."

At club level, Kane has scored 11 goals in 17 appearances so far this calendar year and chipped in with a further four assists in all competitions.

The 15 direct goal involvements is a tally bettered only by Robert Lewandowski, Christopher Nkunku (both 16) and Karim Benzema (17) from Europe's top five leagues.

Kane has also now scored eight goals in his last three international appearances, helping England to three successive wins with an aggregate score of 17-1.

England were not at their best against Switzerland, but Manchester United defender Shaw believes the battling display – a seventh comeback win under Gareth Southgate – stands the national team in good stead.

"The belief, the confidence – I've said it many times before, when we're under pressure in games where it's not going the way we want to, I feel like we're all together," said Shaw.

"We're going to come across all sorts of games when we're under pressure. The main thing for me is we're all together, and we do that in abundance where we're really well drilled, and we know what everyone has to do when they step out on that pitch.

"That's with the ball but definitely without the ball we're getting better with that, too."

Former Tottenham and England forward Jermain Defoe has confirmed his retirement at the age of 39.

The Sunderland striker, who spent time with Spurs in three different stints, also played for West Ham, Portsmouth, Toronto FC, Bournemouth and Rangers across a two-decade-plus career.

Defoe had been due to play on until the end of the season with the League One club after rejoining from Rangers in January, but confirmed his plans to hang up his boots in a lengthy statement published on social media on Friday.

"After 22 years in the game, I have decided to retire from professional football," he stated.

"It's been a really tough decision, and one I have discussed with my family and those closest to me.

"I made my professional debut at 17 years old in 1999, and I feel now is the right time to bow out. I have had an incredible journey and have met some amazing people in the game.

Initially coming through the youth ranks at Charlton and West Ham, Defoe scored on his debut in the League Cup for the Hammers against Walsall to kick-start a prolific career.

He won a subsequent medal in the same competition for Tottenham in 2008, despite leaving midway through the campaign and missing the final. He was finally presented with the medal in 2018.

Defoe won his only other club honour last year when he helped Rangers to the Scottish Premiership title under former England team-mate Steven Gerrard.

For the Three Lions, he won 57 caps and scored 20 goals, including bagging the winner in a 1-0 victory against Slovenia in the group stage of the 2010 World Cup.

"Football will always remain in my blood, and it gives me great pride and satisfaction to look back on the blessed career that I've had," he added.

"I now look forward to spending some quality time with my friends and family before moving forward on this next chapter in my career.

"Thank you to all the fans from each club I've played for. The love I have received and endured throughout my career will never be forgotten, and I will always have a special bond with you all."