Emile Heskey cannot choose between Harry Kane and Robert Lewandowski, as he claimed there are "parallels" between the duo.
Kane scored a hat-trick – his third for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga – in a 4-0 rout of Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker on Saturday.
The England captain has now scored 15 league goals for Bayern, setting a new record for goals from a player in the first 10 games of their maiden Bundesliga season. He is only the fourth player to score at least three goals in three different games in his debut season in the Bundesliga.
Bayern had been in search of a focal point to lead their line since Robert Lewandowski's departure to Barcelona in 2022, with Sadio Mane having failed to fill the Poland forward's boots following his switch from Liverpool.
Asked if Kane has been the ideal replacement for Lewandowski, who holds the record for the number of Bundesliga goals from a foreign player (312), former England striker Heskey told Stats Perform: "They're similar sort of players. When you're when you're talking about goals, I think it's a parallel.
"You can't really say there's an upgrade or downgrade or whatever it is. They're parallel, they're giving you goals.
"They might give you a different style of play, though, because I think Lewandowski is more runs in behind, he's really, really special with his movement off the ball when trying to get in and trying to get a one on one.
"Whereas Harry is more of a player who will come in, link, turn, have his shot, score goals from halfway line."
Kane has also scored twice in three Champions League games. He is just two goals from surpassing Paul Scholes as the third-highest English goalscorer in the competition.
Heskey is unsure if Kane will prove the "missing piece" for Bayern's Champions League hopes, though the 30-year-old will do their chances no harm.
He said: "He'll perform but yeah, definitely, when it comes to goals, he'll definitely perform in that sense. Whether he's the missing piece and will take you to the final and eventually win it, only God will know.
"But he will definitely get you goals in any form of competition that he plays in. I remember Owen Hargreaves talking about when he first went to [Manchester] City, and they were talking about them winning the Champions League, and he said they were miles off it.
"He was saying, well, defensively, you can't be so open.
"Now I think if Bayern can be like what they're usually like, when it's quite close, quite compact, it's hard to beat with a Kane up front. You're going to get goals, you're going to get results."
Leverkusen complacency key in disappointing Kiel draw, says Alonso
Xabi Alonso slammed Bayer Leverkusen's complacency, which saw them squander a two-goal lead to draw with lowly Holstein Kiel ahead of the international break.
Victor Boniface and Jonas Hofmann had given the hosts a comfortable advantage after the first eight minutes, but Kiel, yet to win this season, capitalised on Die Werkself's wastefulness.
The visitors pulled a goal back in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time through Max Geschwill, with Fiete Arp scoring from the spot after the break following Jeremie Frimpong's foul on Armin Gigovic.
Leverkusen have now lost seven points from winning positions in the Bundesliga this season, with only Bochum and Wolfsburg (both eight) losing more.
"I am not satisfied with our performance. It was our own fault," Alonso told reporters.
"We did not play intelligently, and we thought the game was done, but in football you have to keep going always with the same intensity.
"We were far too passive. After a big game in the Champions League, we did not have the right mentality for this game."
It was an encounter dominated by Leverkusen for large parts, with the hosts failing to take advantage of their dominance before the break.
14 of the hosts' 23 shots during the contest came in the first 45 minutes, with six of those on target, but they only managed to register an expected goals (xG) total of 0.8.
They struggled to find an opening after the interval, with Florian Wirtz's 63rd minute effort the only shot on Timon Weiner's goal in the second half.
"We had control but soft control without the aggressiveness for a third goal. The first Kiel goal just before half-time was a signal that it could get dangerous," Alonso said.
"But the biggest mistake was in the first half because we did not know how to handle the game after the 2-0.
"We were just not intelligent enough. There was a bit of complacency when we should have been more focused. We will learn."
Jones, Molino in, Levi Garcia excused as King names Soca Warriors squad for crucial CNL games against Cuba
Trinidad and Tobago’s interim Head coach Derek King will be without striker Levi Garcia but remains optimistic that his team will improve significantly in the goal scoring department in their crucial Concacaf Nations League fixtures against Cuba on October 10 and 14.
King, who was sweating over the fitness of Garcia, inevitably had to look past the AEK Athens striker. Garcia, who just returned from injury, was excused from international duty as requested by his club.
Still, King will have to make do with those available to him as the Soca Warriors face a must-win situation in both games to not only keep their quarterfinal ambitions alive but, more importantly, avoid relegation from League A.
They are currently at the foot of Group B with a point as Jamaica (four points) and Nicaragua (four points) occupy the top two positions. Honduras (three points), Cuba (two points), and French Guiana (one point) complete the standings.
“Levi has an injury at this point. We need six points, and so we are trying to get our best players on the park on the day,” King declared.
King’s final squad, which was named on Saturday, sees the return of former captain Kevin Molino and Joevin Jones, who both last represented the Twin Island Republic at the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup. Toronto FC’s forward Tyrese Spicer has also been included in the squad, which departs for Cuba on Sunday.
After the October 10 fixture, both teams will fly back to Trinidad and Tobago for their final group fixture on October 14 to determine their fates in League A.
King expects Cuba to prove a tough opponent in both games.
“Cuba played slightly different in two matches. Away from home against Jamaica, they play with a back five. At home, they play with a back four. I think, they will be coming as well for three points, so we have to defend well, and, once we create our chances, we have to score our chances,” the caretaker coach shared.
King also explained the reason behind bringing former Inter Miami midfielder Jones, 33, and previously retired Molino, 34, into camp.
“With his [Molino’s] experience, a guy who played over 50 games for the country, played MLS (Major League Soccer) and stuff, I think sometimes there needs to be experience around the team.”
“I had a conversation with Molino; he’s been working hard, and so far he’s looking good. We’ll see how the final squad goes,” King said ahead of the final squad announcement.
“He [Jones] was not a hundred percent, but I think he did well. He knows he has to work on his fitness, and I think Joevin could bring a level of experience along with the younger guys that we have as well,” the tactician noted.
T&T Squad: Denzil Smith, Christopher Biggette, Adrian Foncette, Justin Garcia, Sheldon Bateau, Aubrey David, Alvin Jones, Tristan Hodge, Shannon Gomez, Ross Russell Jr, Noah Powder, Kevin Molino, Dantaye Gilbert, John Paul Rochford, Isiah Lee, Andre Ramparsard, Joevin Jones, Michel Poon Angeron, Kevon Woodley, Tyrese Spicer, Real Gil, Nathaniel James, Ryan Telfer
Fonseca has no intention of changing winning formula
Paulo Fonseca has no intention of changing a winning side, believing continuity is the key for Milan as they prepare to face Fiorentina.
Milan went without a win in their first three Serie A matches under Fonseca, but look to have found their groove in the league after winning each of the last three.
The Portuguese head coach is aiming to rack up four consecutive Serie A wins for just the second time in his career (after July-August 2020 with Roma), but Milan do go into this match on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.
Fonseca looks set to stick with the side which won the derby with Inter and also beat Lecce last time out, meaning a return to the starting lineup for Spanish striker Alvaro Morata, who started on the bench against the Bundesliga champions.
"Continuity is important right now," Fonseca told reporters.
"If the squad is in good form, it's important to keep as many players as possible in the 11 starters. That's not because I don't have faith in the others, but right now, I believe it is important to have a base.
"Morata is fine, he will play [on Sunday]."
Fonseca's stance means Strahinja Pavlovic will likely remain on the bench, despite the Serbian defender impressing when he played the full 90 minutes in the three league games prior to the derby.
"It is important to have stability mainly in defence," Fonseca added. "[Matteo] Gabbia and [Fikayo] Tomori have played some great games and I think Pavlovic must continue to work because he will have opportunities," Fonseca said.
"The two central players, Gabbia and Tomori, are doing well, and I think it's important to continue like this."
Milan were outplayed in the first half against Leverkusen on Tuesday, having only one shot compared to the hosts' 10, with six of those shots on target, though they did improve after conceding early in the second half.
The Rossoneri have now won just one of their last seven away Champions League games, also drawing three and losing three, so despite their positive league run, Fonseca is still looking for big improvements in his squad.
"Leverkusen are one of the strongest teams in Europe. We are in a period of growth," he said.
"Winning against Inter and Lecce doesn't mean we have arrived, we need to grow a lot. We are improving, but we have a lot more to improve. The real Milan is not yet close. We have to do more.
"We can have the same attitude as in the second half in Germany, but maybe the way of playing will be different because Fiorentina mark man to man, so our style will be different."
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