England boss Roy Hodgson has insisted that he never lost faith in Harry Kane when the Tottenham Hotspur striker went through his recent scoring drought.

The 22-year-old found the net against Manchester City last weekend to end a nine-game goalless run in all competitions.

Having initially struggled to build on last season's impressive tally, which included a goal just 79 seconds into his Three Lions debut, Hodgson says that he was delighted to see Kane break his scoring duck for the campaign.

"I regard forwards having a spell of games where they do not score as a very obvious part of football," he is quoted as saying by the Daily Star. "In my time in the game I have never known a player who has just scored and scored and scored. And I have never known a keeper who did not let simple goals in - it happens.

"It is all about the quality of the player and sometimes you have to trust and believe that your choice of player is right, as I do in Harry. One thing for sure is that I do not think Harry is playing badly at all this season and I was very pleased to see him score against Manchester City.

"I noticed my reaction was picked up on TV and it surprised me as I usually watch games stony-faced. But I was so happy for him I could not help smiling. The bottom line is you do not become a good or bad player in three or four weeks."

Kane is expected to start up top for Tottenham in this afternoon's meeting with Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium.