What sort of Tottenham Hotspur team will Manchester United face on Thursday? Frankly, who knows, given the chaotic turnover of coaches at a club that has descended into a shambles at a startling pace.
Astonishingly, Spurs are still fifth in the Premier League and although they’re six points behind United, Erik ten Hag’s team have two games in hand. Whatever team the second caretaker of the month, Ryan Mason, picks, there are two guarantees.
He will ditch the disastrous back-four experiment that failed so spectacularly at Newcastle, and any hopes of getting a result will rest almost entirely on the shoulders of Harry Kane.
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Oh to hear Kane’s thoughts at St James’ Park on Sunday after Newcastle's 6-1 win. The 29-year-old scored a wonderful goal, his 26th of another outstanding individual season, but he is being chronically let down by his club.
The England captain turns 30 in July and his loyalty to Tottenham must be at an end. Kane owes his employers nothing. He has performed with class and consistency, only to have his peak years wasted by the muddled thinking of Daniel Levy.
On Thursday night, Kane will come up against the club that wants to sign him this summer. It’s no exaggeration to say he is the missing piece of the jigsaw for Ten Hag.
United have won one trophy already this season, are into the final of another and now appear guaranteed to finish in the top four. They have achieved all of that without an elite-level striker.
Anthony Martial might once have considered himself to fit that bracket and he's had plenty of support from Ten Hag this season. When he's fit there have been moments of quality, but the consistency hasn't always been there and the fitness certainly hasn't.
Ten Hag continues to insist Martial makes United play better, but on Sunday at Wembley came a prime example of why he lacks the instincts of a natural No. 9. When Antony broke down the right and played a square ball into the box, Martial was hanging back, rather than attacking the six-yard box. Stick Kane in that position and he'd have almost certainly been on the end of the cross.
Martial has contributed more than Wout Weghorst, whose enthusiasm and commitment is admirable, but his quality is at least a level below United. There have been just two goals in 24 appearances and he will more than likely return to Burnley this summer. Martial could potentially depart as well and bringing in cash is going to be vital if United are to do a deal for Kane.
The striker is wanted by Bayern Munich but given how close he is to Alan Shearer's Premier League goalscoring record, playing abroad looks unlikely. If he is to move domestically, United are the only viable option this summer, but doing a deal will be complex.
Negotiating with Levy is notoriously difficult and he will be desperate not to strengthen a Premier League rival, but his mea culpa when achieving the extraordinary feat of sacking a caretaker manager on Monday weakens his own hand.
The reality is this version of Tottenham don't deserve Harry Kane. It is time he put his own career before that of his team and tried to win a trophy.
Even if Kane refuses to sign a new deal, Spurs could take the chance of letting him run down his contract, but in 12 months' time his options will be even thinner. If United don't land Kane this summer, they will move on.
Instead, the striker has to commit to forcing through a move, as he threatened to do two years ago when Manchester City came calling. Kane let that move transfer through his fingers, but he can't repeat the mistake this time. He has to do all he can to prove to Tottenham and Levy that he deserves to leave.
The fixture between his current employers and his potential future employers on Thursday is going to be intriguing. It will feature protests against Levy and a Tottenham team that must surely find a response. They need the points more than United.
Whatever happens, it shouldn't have any bearing on Kane's future. This season should have shown him already that he has to move. But however the match develops, it could be good news for Tottenham's record goalscorer.
If United win, then it could show two clubs moving in opposite directions. If they don't, then you can be sure Kane swapping sides would make a difference. He should do that permanently this summer.
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