Mauricio Pochettino says Tottenham cannot use Harry Kane's injury as an excuse if they do not achieve all their aims this season.
Spurs captain Kane has scored 14 league goals in 2018-19 and played a huge part in the club's title challenge and run to the last 16 of the Champions League.
His absence for the next six weeks is likely to seriously hamper Spurs' bid to land silverware but Pochettino is adamant they will have to find a way to cope without the England international.
"Of course, Harry Kane is one of the best strikers in the world and we cannot hide that," the Spurs boss told Sky Sports.
"In any team with aspirations you need your best player but, of course, that can't be an excuse if we don't achieve all we want.
"We know what it means to have Harry Kane fit and available to help the team win but we have a squad [so] that cannot be an excuse.
"We need to compete in the best way, in the next game against Fulham and, after that, in the EFL Cup semi-final against Chelsea."
Injuries are part of the game but no-one will be working harder to get back fit. Thanks for the messages. pic.twitter.com/cUeq4zFrlk— Harry Kane (@HKane) January 15, 2019
Kane sustained the injury in the closing seconds of the 1-0 defeat to Manchester United at Wembley on Sunday, a result that left Spurs nine points behind leaders Liverpool, but Pochettino claims the player is already in a better frame of mind.
"Of course, after the game he was very disappointed but now he’s so positive because he must be positive if he wants to recover as soon as possible," he added.
"It's so tough to receive this type of news, we are so disappointed because we care a lot for our players."
