Former Arsenal ace and prominent pundit Paul Merson has made the astonishing claim that Harry Kane should have dropped himself earlier on in the World Cup to preserve himself for the later rounds.
The ex-England international has claimed that as a result of playing all three group stage games, despite concerns over both the level of his fitness and his form, Kane is now "lacking sharpness" at the business end of the competition. The Three Lions face Senegal on Sunday at the round of 16 stage after finishing top of Group B.
Kane is yet to find himself on the scoresheet in Qatar, though he did finish the last World Cup with the Golden Boot so he has proven he is a man for the big occasion. It's not as if the Tottenham talisman hasn't been contributing either, he has three assists to his name - including the delightful pass for Phil Foden's effort against Wales.
The 29-year-old was withdrawn thirty minutes from time against Wales to keep him ticking over for Sunday's clash, especially after Kane suffered an injury scare on match day one following a late challenge against Iran. England are within touching distance of the last eight, but Merson feels Kane's current level could be a problem.
"Harry Kane just loves to play football but I really think he would have benefited from sitting out against the USA or Wales," he told the Daily Star. "He is now seriously lacking sharpness. He may have the most assists at the World Cup but England need him in the box.
"There is simply no chance Gareth Southgate’s side will win the tournament without Kane in the goals. But I just feel like with his fitness at the moment, he needs to sometimes consider saying: 'You know what, I can't play in this game.'
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"Sometimes you become a better player when you’re not in the team and that would have been the case against the USA or Wales. All of a sudden there are calls for Callum Wilson to start because he looks sharp off the bench. Wilson is a good player but he is nowhere near the level of Kane, it’s just because the captain is struggling."
The idea of Kane being taken out of Southgate's starting line-up is one that has been floated by fans and pundits alike previously, but the general consensus is he is simply too clinical to risk removing - if a chance falls to England, the Spurs star is the safest bet to score it.
Southgate himself has previously confessed it would be a "brave decision" to leave a man just two goals shy of the all-time England goal record out of the starting eleven at a World Cup.
