Mourinho hits back at Merson for saying Harry Kane will never hit top form while he is manager 

Jose Mourinho has launched an impassioned defence of his attacking record as a manager after Paul Merson said Harry Kane may never recapture his best scoring form under the Portuguese’s guidance.

Kane returned after a major hamstring injury in Tottenham‘s 1-1 draw with Manchester United but struggled to impose himself upon the game.

Speaking the following day, Merson said it could be a sign of things to come for Kane and added that he thinks the England captain will be considering his Tottenham future.

Harry Kane made a subdued return to Tottenham action in a 1-1 draw with Manchester United 

Jose Mourinho says Kane will be back among the goals once he rebuilds his fitness

Mourinho hit back, referencing the records of previous strikers he has worked with such as Didier Drogba and Cristiano Ronaldo before he added: ‘So dear Paul, I have lots of respect for you. 

‘I think Harry Kane has no problem at all to score goals in my teams, especially when he’s fit and fresh and has routines of playing. That’s my message to somebody I have lots of respect for.’

Speaking on Soccer Saturday at the weekend, Merson said: ‘When Jose took the job I worried for Harry Kane. 

‘He played under Pochettino and Tottenham had a go wherever they went. There were goals, there were crosses, there were shots.

Merson said that Mourinho will ensure Tottenham games are tighter and harder to score in

Paul Merson thinks Kane will consider his Tottenham future at the end of the season

‘He’s going to be playing up front on his own and it is going to be hard work. In the end he is trying to hit 60-yard passes just to get involved in the game and that’s not Harry Kane.

‘He’s not fit, he’s definitely not fit, they played virtually with 10 men, I can’t remember how many times he touched the ball in the whole game.

‘I think he’ll have a serious think at the end of the season, I really do. I don’t see him getting 25-30 goals a season the way Jose will want to play, and he (Mourinho) won’t want to play like it was when he first got in there, 4-2s and 5-3s, no way. He’ll like those games last night, the 1-1s.’