Eric Dier has hailed Harry Kane after the Tottenham striker’s record-breaking goal against Liverpool, saying the forward’s clinical finishing gives confidence to the rest of the team.

Kane’s strike at Anfield was his seventh in five starts for club and country and, having found the net in the top flight for the 22nd time this term, he has set a new record – the most goals scored by a Spurs player in a single Premier League season.

Dier said: “It’s great to have someone like him up front. When he gets a chance you’re confident he’s going to put it away, and that gives everyone else great confidence to work hard for the team, to win their battles and to fight all over the pitch. We do that knowing that we have someone who can then put away the chance when we get it.

“I’m delighted for him, he deserves [the record]. He works very hard every day of the week and he works hard for the team in the matches.

“I don’t think there’s a striker around that works as hard for the team as he does, so I’m delighted for him and he deserves every bit of success he gets.

“We follow the manager’s methods, the way he wants us to play. He wants a striker who can [put that work in], and Harry does that so it’s great for everyone.”

Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Liverpool ended a run of three consecutive defeats for Spurs at Anfield, but that was scant consolation for Dier – especially as leaders Leicester City beat Southampton the following day to move seven points clear in the title race.

“I never really like to look at different years,” said the midfielder. “They’re separate matches, completely different sets of teams, different managers.

“There was a different manager on their side this time [Jurgen Klopp] so it was a completely different occasion, but I think we played well. We’re disappointed we couldn’t win because I think we had chances to do so.

“It was the first of seven finals and we’re disappointed we couldn’t win but if you can’t win you’ve got to get a draw and we showed solidarity at the end to do that, so it wasn’t a completely negative day and now we just move on to Man United [on Sunday].

“We’ve got six massive games left and we can promise we’ll give everything in every one of them.”

Dier has been walking a disciplinary tightrope for the last month after picking up his ninth yellow card of the Premier League season in the north London derby against Arsenal on March 5.

He has avoided a 10th booking – which would trigger a two-match ban – in his last three top-flight matches but must also make it through Sunday’s clash against United unscathed. After that game, an amnesty will mean he can be booked without being suspended.

Statistics showed that, uncharacteristically, Dier failed to make a single tackle against Liverpool on Saturday, but he also avoided any fouls.

The obvious explanation is that a fear of suspension resulted in a degree of caution.

But the England international said: “I knew I was on nine yellow cards but the manager hasn’t spoken to me and I haven’t really thought about it to be honest.

“The next game is the most important one to me and I’m sure the manager thinks the same way. It hasn’t really crossed my mind. Once you get out there it’s a bit hard to be thinking about things like that.”

Follow me on Twitter @BenPearceSpurs