Bayern Munich and England have encountered an untimely scare concerning the fitness of Harry Kane, who was forced off due to injury during Saturday's Bundesliga clash against Bayer Leverkusen.

The 31-year-old led the line for his side's 1-1 draw with the reigning German champions, where an Aleksandar Pavlovic rocket cancelled out a 31st-minute strike from Robert Andrich.

For the first time in the 2024-25 Bundesliga season, Kane failed to register either a goal or an assist, and the England captain’s evening came to an early conclusion as he was substituted in the 86th minute.

Kane went down in agony following a challenge from Leverkusen’s Amine Adli and was visibly furious about the incident before being replaced by Thomas Müller for the final minutes of the match.

Kane's injury scare has occurred at a less-than-ideal time for both club and country, as Bayern Munich are set to travel to England on Wednesday evening for a highly anticipated Champions League encounter with Aston Villa.

Kane and Vincent Kompany provide an update on the striker's injury

The next international break is also approaching, with the Three Lions aiming to maintain their positive start under Lee Carsley in the UEFA Nations League against Greece and Finland on 10th and 13th October, respectively.

Bayern manager Kompany expressed hope that Kane would be fit for the midweek trip to Villa, telling Sky Deutschland: "I’m not a doctor, but I hope that maybe it will be enough for Wednesday."

Kane also downplayed the seriousness of the injury after the match, although he expressed confusion that Adli’s challenge did not even result in a booking, suggesting that a red card might have been appropriate.

"It was really painful at first, and it was frustrating to miss the last five or ten minutes of the match. Sometimes challenges like that have led to red cards," said the former Tottenham Hotspur striker.

Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen provided further reassurance at full time, stating: "He took a knock. But as the doctors mentioned, it’s likely nothing too serious. We’ll assess it again tomorrow."

Who could replace Kane for the Villa and England matches?

While Kane will undergo further tests to determine the extent of his injury, the initial signs appear positive for the England skipper, who has already registered 10 goals and five assists in just seven appearances this season.

However, should the striker’s injury prove more serious than initially anticipated, Kompany may have to deploy Müller or Mathys Tel in a central role for the trip to Villa, whose own forward could potentially deputise for Kane in the national team.

Indeed, Ollie Watkins currently serves as Kane’s understudy for England and would likely be the first choice if Spurs’ all-time leading goalscorer is unavailable. Nonetheless, Ivan Toney remains on Lee Carsley’s radar.

Toney, now at Al-Ahli, did not make the squad for September’s internationals following a busy summer transfer window, but Carsley has emphasised that he remains under consideration for future call-ups.