Mauricio Pochettino tells critics to lay off "easy target" Harry Kane

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has defended the form of Harry Kane and insists that the striker "is an easy target" for critics.

The England international has fired blanks in his last four outings for club and country, prompting concerns of a possible World Cup hangover.

Kane won the Golden Boot in Russia with six goals, but he had just three weeks' rest before returning to club action and has been used heavily since then.

Pochettino has already attempted to play down fatigue concerns, however, and the Argentine is unwilling to criticise Kane for his barren run.

"Harry is an easy target because it's easy when he's not scoring to start to talk about him," he told reporters ahead of Tottenham's trip to Inter Milan in the Champions League.

"But Harry, after four years at the club, there are a lot of things to say thank you to him. Of course he needs to improve, but the team needs to improve. But it's easy to blame Harry, it's an easy judgement."

Speaking on the back of Tottenham's 2-1 loss to Liverpool at the weekend, Kane stressed that he is not in need of a rest.