Rio Ferdinand has insisted that Tottenham Hotspur have "no chance" of challenging for the Premier League title again this season if Harry Kane is ruled out through injury.
The England international recently confessed to being in the best form of his life after notching 17 goals in 14 appearances since the beginning of September.
Kane was withdrawn late on against Liverpool last weekend, though, and manager Mauricio Pochettino was coy when asked on Wednesday evening if the striker will be fit to play a part against Manchester United.
Ferdinand is refusing to fall into the trap of describing Spurs as a one-man team, unlike Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, but he claims that they have little hope of a first Prem title success without their leading marksman.
"If Harry Kane stays fit then yeah [they can win it]; if Harry Kane gets injured, no chance," he is quoted as saying by Yahoo! Sport. "They've got no one to replace him who's going to get that amount of goals. He's a talisman.
"He's not all Tottenham, don't get me wrong – I'm not saying they're a one-man team – but to go and win a league you need a number nine who's going to be banging in goals. Outside of Harry Kane in that squad I don't really see anyone else doing it."
Kane has finished top scorer in the Premier League in each of the last two seasons.
