Pochettino reveals Lionel Messi has helped him solve Harry Kane injury crisis
England star's injury leaves Fernando Llorente as Spurs' only fit striker heading into the game with Fulham
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TOTTENHAM boss Mauricio Pochettino has been studying Lionel Messi as he tries to figure out how to replace Harry Kane.
The 20-goal talisman, 25, is out until March after damaging his ankle ligament in a serious blow to Spurs' season.
Fernando Llorente is the only fit striker at White Hart Lane heading into tomorrow's clash with Fulham but Poch hinted Dele Alli could play a Messi-style false nine role.
He said: "Yesterday I was watching Barcelona [against Levante] and the striker was Leo Messi.
"You can play Llorente, you can play Dele Alli, you can play Erik Lamela, you can play [youngsters] Kazaiah Sterling, Troy Parrott, I don't know.
"You can play many, many players. It's not that you have to play one specific striker.
"Look, Chelsea played against us with [Eden] Hazard like a striker, when [Olivier] Giroud was on the bench and [Alvaro] Morata was out of the squad.
"We are so crazy, the managers that sometimes we decide to do something different, no?"
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Five ways Spurs could line-up without Kane
Tottenham are grappling with the loss of their marquee goalscorer.
Of course, there is the possibility that Daniel Levy may decide to enter the market and buy a player to fill the void, yet few Spurs fans expect that to happen.
But Mauricio Pochettino is a shrewd enough tactician to get the most out of the players they already have.
So what can Pochettino do to make up for the absence of his star striker, leading goal scorer and talisman?
Tottenham looked poised to rival Manchester City and Liverpool in a three-way title race but have slipped well off the pace.
And with Kane and Son Heung-min out, the likes of Dele and Real Madrid target Christian Eriksen will have to step up to hold off Chelsea and Arsenal, who are pushing for a top-four spot.