Did Pochettino make the right personnel selections for Tottenham?

Validation for selecting Harry Kane

And then there’s Kane, whose fitness was questioned both in the lead up to, and after, the final. Only Pochettino and his staff truly know whether their talisman was fit, but we can only trust that the gaffer wouldn’t have risked an unfit Kane, particularly as an additional ankle injury could be career threatening.

Sure, Kane was devoid of match practice. But you would never see Liverpool leave Roberto Firmino out of the starting team due to a lack of match time.

So why does Pochettino get questioned about starting Kane, a player who is partially responsible for the Argentine’s fruitful years at Tottenham?

Admittedly Kane’s potential threat was snuffed out impressively by Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip, but who’s to say Fernando Llorente’s inclusion would have rendered a different outcome?

When you have a player of Kane’s calibre at your disposal, you play him. It’s as simple as that. And that’s not to diminish Llorente’s contribution to Spurs’ Champions League run.

The Spaniard quickly became a hero in north London, but giving way to a legend of Kane’s stature is nothing to be ashamed of.

Additionally, Llorente didn’t start in the second leg against Ajax, nor did he start against Manchester City at the Etihad. And look what the opportunistic front man achieved against those sides in cameo appearances. Bringing him on as a sub still looks like a brilliant decision, regardless of the result we despairingly had to watch unfold on June 1.