Bundesliga
Harry Kane has been simply unstoppable for Bayern Munich so far this season, and Saturday’s Der Klassiker win over Borussia Dortmund only served to highlight further just how complete the England striker is.
In the absence of Jamal Musiala, who is recovering from a broken leg, Bayern have been forced to look for alternatives in the number 10 position. For much of this season, that void has been filled by Serge Gnabry, with the 30-year-old putting in some superb displays in his new role.
However, due to an adductor issue, Vincent Kompany was forced to turn to Kane to fill the void during Saturday’s 2-1 Der Klassiker victory; a choice that proved instrumental in Bayern’s success.
Watch: Bayern Munich 2-1 Borussia Dortmund
It is no secret that Kane loves to come deep to get on the ball and to hurt teams not just through his lethal finishing, but also via his fantastic vision. Against Dortmund, all of these facets were on display - plus his lesser-known great tackling ability!
It was a performance that Kane himself seemed particularly proud of, saying: “I think it was one of my best games, probably of my career, to be honest, in terms of affecting the game in all different ways.”
Watch: Is there anything Kane can't do?
To say that Kane affected the game in a multitude of different ways is an understatement. One look at the England striker’s heatmap tells you almost everything about his performance; he was everywhere.
The 32-year-old was as likely to pop up in his own box as the opposition's as he took the fight to Dortmund with his calmness under pressure and his sensational eye for a pass. During the game, he completed nine of his 10 long passes, including a perfect switch of play that set Luis Díaz loose in the build-up to Michael Olise’s match-winner.
Kane has become so efficient and complete this season that his goal to open the scoring from a Joshua Kimmich corner was merely a footnote; goal number 21 of the season in just 12 games for club and country, and the 400th of his club career.
Watch: Klassiker RefCam
Instead, Kane’s performance is best summed up in two more minor actions that showed his incredible hunger and quality. The first came in the 11th minute, when he received the ball on the edge of his own penalty area with his back to goal under pressure. Unfazed, Kane held off and spun his way past Pascal Groß and Serhou Guirassy to set Konrad Laimer on the counter-attack and launch a move that almost led to the opener.
The second was a full-blooded 90th-minute slide tackle on the edge of his own box to stop Fabio Silva from getting a shot away. It was a moment that earned one of the biggest cheers of the night from the Bayern faithful.
It was also one of Kane's 26 duels in the game, the second-highest total on the pitch. Of those duels, he won 62%, another stat that ranked him second for the game. He also produced two clearances as he showcased just how much he can help out at the back.
Perhaps seeing Bayern’s number nine in a deeper role will become more common in the years to come, and if Saturday’s performance is anything to go by, he certainly has all of the attributes to remain at the pinnacle of football by evolving further. Borussia Mönchengladbach's defenders, midfielders and attackers are duly warned ahead of their Matchday 8 encounter!