- 62 goals in 99 PL games for Kane
- Spurs win six games on spin
- Vertonghen off injured
- Spurs up to second in PL table
Tottenham Hotspur beat West Bromwich Albion 4-0 at White Hart Lane on Saturday as Mauricio Pochettino’s side moved into second place and four points behind leaders Chelsea.
Spurs have now won six games on the spin and eased to victory courtesy of a Harry Kane hat trick (not a bad way to celebrate being a father for the first time six days ago) and Christian Eriksen’s shot which was deflected into his own net by Gareth McAuley.
With the win Spurs move up to second and now have 45 points, while West Brom remain in eighth place on 29 points.
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Kane went close early on as he directed Danny Rose’s inviting cross from the left flank just wide of the far post but Spurs’ leading scorer didn’t have to wait much longer to put them ahead.
Patient build-up play on the edge of the box saw Victor Wanyama play in Christian Eriksen and his delicate pass found Kane free in the box. Kane rifled home into the top corner to make it 1-0 to Spurs after 12 minutes.
8 - Only Kevin de Bruyne (9) has provided more assists than Christian Eriksen in the Premier League this season. Generous.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 14, 2017
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Spurs continued to press after going ahead and Victor Wanyama’s cross was directed goalwards by Kane but Foster scrambled to stop the loose ball spinning over the line. Moments later he was beaten as Eriksen’s shot from the edge of the box took two deflections and left West Brom’s goalkeeper moving in the right direction as the ball hit the back of the net. 2-0 to Tottenham.
Dele Alli then scored with an audacious finish but the offside flag went up after Eriksen’s through ball as Spurs carved through West Brom’s defense time and time again in the first half as Kane then forced Foster to tip his low shot onto the far post.
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In the second half West Brom started well with Salomon Rondon playing in Matt Phillips but the in-form winger dragged his shot just wide of the far post.
Foster then made two great stops in quick succession as he saved Toby Alderweireld’s effort with his legs and then palmed away Jan Vertonghen’s follow-up as Spurs surged forward in search of a third goal.
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Alli then wonderfully skipped by three West Brom defenders, complete with a cheeky nutmeg, and set up Kane but his blast was saved once again by the increasingly busy Foster.
A moment of concern arrived for Spurs in the second half as Vertonghen limped off injured after badly twisting his ankle when clearing a ball and stepping off the pitch and onto the AstroTurf surface. The Belgian defender would be a big loss for Spurs.
Kane added his second and Tottenham’s third in the closing stages as Kyle Walker chased down McAuley and forced him into a mistake which Kane punished ruthlessly with a wonderful finish. 3-0 to Spurs.
Late on Kane completed his hat trick (his fourth for Spurs and third for them in the PL) after a delightful lobbed pass from Alli.
Spurs coasted to victory and their surge continues with six Premier League wins in a row. Who can stop them?