Alan Smith has cheeky dig at Harry Kane record | OneFootball

Alan Smith has had a cheeky dig at Harry Kane matching his European record, after Bayern Munich’s 9-2 win on Tuesday.

1988: Alan Smith of Arsenal takes on Gary Mabbutt of Tottenham Hotspur during a match at White Hart Lane in London. Arsenal won the match 2-1. Credit: Simon Bruty/Allsport

Bayern Munich thrashed GNK Dinamo 9-2 on Tuesday night, with Harry Kane scoring four of their goals.

OptaJoe highlighted afterwards that Kane was the first Englishman to score four goals in a Champions League or European Cup match since Alan Smith for Arsenal against FK Austria Wien in 1991.

But Smith hit back on Twitter, saying simply: “I didn’t need penalties though.”

Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane scores from the penalty spot during the UEFA Champions League football match FC Bayern Munich vs GNK Dinamo Zagreb in Munich, southern Germany, on September 17, 2024. (Photo by ALEXANDRA BEIER/AFP via Getty Images)

It’s certainly true that Kane had a lot of help with his four-goal performance. The striker scored three penalties on the night, none of which he won himself.

Aleksandar Pavlovic won the first after a trip, Eric Dier won the second as his header was blocked by a hand, and Alphonso Davies won the third after his foot was stood on.

By contrast, all of Smith’s four goals against Austria Wien came in open play, so he remains the last Englishman to score four in a Champions League or European Cup match without penalties.

LIVERPOOL, UNITED KINGDOM: Arsenal goalscorer Alan Smith celebrates in the dressing room with the League Division One trophy after Arsenal had beaten Liverpool 2-0 in the final game of the season to pip Liverpool to the title, at Anfield on May 26, 1989. (Photo by Allsport/Getty Images)

You can watch all four of Smith’s goals and the rest of the highlights from that 6-1 win here.