Kane leaves White Hart Lane on crutches after suffering ankle injury

Last season's Premier League top scorer Harry Kane needed a stretcher to return to the dressing room after falling awkwardly following a challenge from Sunderland's Papy Djilobodji.

The Tottenham Hotspur striker managed to haul himself to the side of the pitch toward the end of Sunday's 1-0 win, but then needed extra assistance to leave under the gaze of the understandably concerned White Hart Lane faithful.

"Harry Kane twisted his ankle and now we need to know about the injury," said manager Mauricio Pochettino post-match. "We need to wait until tomorrow."

The England international was spotted leaving the stadium on crutches, with a walking boot around his right foot.

Kane scored the eventual match-winner in the contest before his ankle bent awkwardly. He was characteristically in the right place at the right time to beat an otherwise unimpeachable Jordan Pickford between the sticks on 59 minutes, but will now nervously await assessment on his injury with Premier League bouts against Middlesbrough and Manchester City looming.

A natural replacement for Kane would be Vincent Janssen, the Dutchman acquired from AZ Alkmaar over the summer. The 22-year-old has yet to trouble the scoresheet as a Spurs player, but manager Mauricio Pochettino will be hoping he can soon rehash his record of 27 goals in 32 Eredivisie starts last term.

Other alternatives up front would be fellow new boy Georges-Kevin Nkoudou, who's currently struggling for match fitness, and Heung-Min Son, the versatile but inconsistent South Korean.

Before returning to league commitments, Tottenham welcomes third-tier Gillingham to north London in Wednesday's League Cup action.