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HARRY KANE STARS AS SPURS BEAT BRIGHTON

Harry Kane created a slice of Premier League history as he helped Tottenham to a 2-0 win at free-falling Brighton.

After Cristian Romero had put Spurs in front before the break, Kane entered the record books just before the hour by scoring his 95th goal away from home – more than any other player.

He also moved above Frank Lampard in the list of all-time scorers, going into fifth with 178 goals and more records are surely around the corner given the England’s captain devastating prowess.

It was his seventh strike in six Premier League games and helped keep Spurs in the race for the top four, though they remain big outsiders as they are still behind Arsenal, who have two games in hand.

Brighton played well in patches but their slide continued as this was a sixth successive defeat and the game against Norwich takes on extra significance ahead of a trio of away matches against Arsenal, Spurs and Manchester City.

They have probably already amassed enough points to avoid getting dragged into a relegation fight, but their form will be a concern for Graham Potter.

Spurs had an early opportunity to take control of the match but Kane was uncharacteristically wasteful after creating his own chance.

He blocked Robert Sanchez’s attempted clearance after the goalkeeper was caught dawdling in possession and the ball ran free, but Kane could not convert into an open goal from an acute angle.

Brighton came into the game and Alexis Mac Allister had a shot blocked as Spurs were penned back.

But the visitors forged ahead in the 37th minute, though needed a large slice of luck.

Son Heung-min fed Dejan Kulusevski on the edge of the area and the Swede’s shot took a heavy deflection off team-mate Romero, wrongfooting Sanchez and heading into the bottom corner.

It should have been 2-0 moments later as Shane Duffy messed up a header, allowing Kulusevski to race through on goal, but he shot straight at the legs of Sanchez and Brighton survived.

Brighton started the second half searching for a response, but Spurs killed the game just before the hour with a devastating counter attack.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg won the ball on the edge of his own area, fed Rodrigo Bentancur, who drove forward before playing a superb ball for Kane to finish in typical style.

Kane’s creativity is just as big a part as his goalscoring and he should have had an assist in the 72nd minute as his inch-perfect pass set Sergio Reguilon clear, but the Spanish wing-back shot straight at Sanchez.

A Brighton goal could have made the last 15 minutes nervy for Spurs and they went close as Marc Cucurella fizzed an effort just wide of the post, while Ben Davies produced a fine last-ditch tackle.

Kane could have put the icing on the cake at the death but Sanchez was equal to his shot from the edge of the area as Antonio Conte’s men eased to the three points.

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EPL TITLE RACE: LIVERPOOL BEAT ARSENAL TO CLOSE GAP ON CITY

Liverpool struck twice in eight second-half minutes to win at Arsenal and move to within a point of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.

With City held to a goalless draw at Crystal Palace on Monday night, Liverpool took full advantage, winning their game in hand 2-0 as Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino scored the goals.

The pair have history against the Gunners – this was Jota’s seventh goal in as many appearances against Arsenal for Liverpool, while Firmino now has nine goals against them, his best return against a single opponent.

The meeting between City and Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium on April 10 will now go a huge way to deciding whether Pep Guardiola’s side will retain their crown or the Reds make it two titles in three years.

Arsenal remain favourites for a top-four finish despite losing here and they held their own until Jota broke the deadlock after 54 minutes.

Mikel Arteta conceded on the eve of the game that his team are not quite at the level of those at the top of the Premier League and being clinical in front of goal appears to be one of the contributing factors, if these 90 minutes were anything to go by.

Early Liverpool pressure saw Virgil Van Dijk force a low save out of Aaron Ramsdale with a free header from a corner.

With rain pouring down it was a blood and thunder contest but the first half was one of few chances, Gabriel Martinelli and Thomas Partey shining for the hosts.

Liverpool’s forwards were getting very little out of the Arsenal backline but Sadio Mane missed a presentable chance to open the scoring on the stroke of half-time.

He also had the ball in the net soon after the interval but the celebrations were cut short as he was correctly adjudged offside.

While Arsenal had created little, they had a short spell of dominance which should a yielded a better return, Alisson Becker making a fine save from Martin Odegaard after an errant Thiago Alcantara back-pass had been collected by Alexandre Lacazette.

Bukayo Saka forced Alisson into another save from the resulting corner, with Jurgen Klopp seeing enough to ready Mohamed Salah and Firmino.

Before they had a chance to enter the fray, however, Liverpool hit the front as Thiago’s slide-rule pass found Jota, who finished low past Ramsdale – the Arsenal goalkeeper no doubt disappointed to be beaten at his near post.

The two substitutions still took place, Jota one of those to be replaced immediately after breaking the deadlock, but Klopp’s decision was soon vindicated.

Firmino cut a ball across the box which ultimately saw Salah denied by a combination of Gabriel Magalhaes and Ben White but Liverpool kept the pressure on and Firmino’s smart finish from Andy Robertson’s cross doubled the lead.

Arsenal had no response to the double as Arteta introduced Emile Smith Rowe, Nicolas Pepe and Eddie Nketiah from the bench.

Martinelli nearly capped a fine personal display with a late goal but bent a shot just inches wide of Alisson’s post as Liverpool saw out the closing stages to move up on the shoulder of City.

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JOE GELHARDT NETS LAST-GASP WINNER FOR LEEDS AFTER LATE DRAMA AT ELLAND ROAD

Joe Gelhardt stepped off the bench to fire a stoppage-time winner as Leeds beat Premier League relegation rivals Norwich 2-1.

The 19-year-old striker replaced Mateusz Klich in the second minute of added time and salvaged his side’s survival bid two minutes later – after Kenny McLean’s stoppage-time goal appeared to have snatched Norwich a point.

In a breathless finish, Leeds had let slip a slender lead after Rodrigo’s early opener only to end up snapping a club record equalling six-game winless run and secure head coach Jesse Marsch’s first win in charge at the third attempt.

In truth, Leeds should have been out of sight against Dean Smith’s basement side as Raphinha twice struck the crossbar and Patrick Bamford fired wide with just Norwich goalkeeper Tim Krul to beat.

But with just a one-goal deficit Norwich never gave up and looked to have snaffled a point when McLean turned home an equaliser at the death before Gelhardt struck.

Rodrigo fired Leeds into a 14th-minute lead, lashing the ball home via a slight deflection from just inside the penalty area following Diego Llorente’s long ball over the top.

Raphinha will be disappointed not to have made it 2-0. He missed the ball completely while attempting to convert Stuart Dallas’ cut-back after a sweeping Leeds counter-attack.

Leeds defender Luke Ayling was lucky to escape with a caution following a VAR check for his high challenge on Milot Rashica before Raphinha almost made amends for his earlier air-shot in spectacular fashion.

Leeds swept forward again and the Brazilian volleyed Bamford’s deep cross from the left against the underside of the crossbar.

The home side went close again as Krul saved Pascal Struijk’s header from a corner, with the Leeds centre-half blazing his follow-up off target.

Leeds fans were furious when VAR failed to intervene after Dan James appeared to have been shoved to the floor in the area by Brandon Williams.

Bamford was next to pass up a golden chance, skewing his side-footed effort wide with just Krul to beat after being slid in by Raphinha.

It was a much-improved first half from Leeds, but they just had a 1-0 lead to show for their dominance at the interval.

Bamford’s return to action lasted 45 minutes as he was replaced by Jack Harrison during the break.

Leeds thought they had forced the crucial second goal in the 52nd minute, but James had strayed offside before turning in Raphinha’s blocked shot.

Rodrigo was withdrawn to a standing ovation on the hour-mark and replaced by defensive midfielder Robin Koch, but Leeds continued to press for that second goal.

James’ curling effort was well saved by Krul and despite forcing Norwich into retreat, Leeds’ final pass was found wanting.

Norwich served warning as substitute Jonathan Rowe curled a shot against the crossbar, but the linesman flagged for offside.

Leeds were given another reprieve when VAR asked referee Stuart Atwell to check the monitor after he had initially awarded a penalty for Ayling’s challenge on Rashica.

Replays clearly showed Rashica had gone down after standing on Ayling’s leg.

Raphinha struck the crossbar again in the 82nd minute with a sweetly-struck free-kick and Norwich appeared to have punished Leeds in the dying moments when McLean latched on to Teemu Pukki’s cross.

But Leeds poured forward from the restart and with the clock ticking down Raphinha burst clear to round the goalkeeper and tee-up Gelhardt, who sparked delirium at Elland Road when drove home the winner from six yards.

There was still time for Pukki to threaten another goal, but Illan Meslier produced a fine reaction save just before the final whistle.

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PARTEY, LACAZETTE ON TARGET AS ARSENAL BEAT LEICESTER TO CLIMB TO TOP FOUR

Goals in either half by Thomas Partey and Alexandre Lacazette helped Arsenal beat Leicester City 2-0 to reclaim fourth place.

The opening goal came in the 11th minute, Partey heading in Gabriel Martinelli’s corner at the near post.

Harvey Barnes twice tested Aaron Ramsdale before half-time, firstly smothering the winger’s shot before superbly tipping away his close-range header.

After Caglar Soyuncu was adjudged to have handled another Partey header following a VAR review, Lacazette powered in a penalty to double Arsenal’s lead on 59 minutes.

Substitute Emile Smith Rowe was denied by Kasper Schmeichel late on as Arsenal recorded a fifth straight league victory.

The Gunners now have 51 points, one more than fifth-placed Man Utd, who have played three matches more.

Leicester drop to 12th with 33 points.

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KAI HAVERTZ NETS LAST-GASP WINNER AS NERVY CHELSEA END TURBULENT WEEK WITH WIN

Kai Havertz’s fine last-gasp finish sealed a nervy Chelsea’s 1-0 Premier League win over resurgent Newcastle, providing rare distraction from the Blues’ continued fears for their future.

Germany forward Havertz superbly brought down Jorginho’s masterful lofted pass before slotting home, to cut through an otherwise stodgy affair and hand the Blues a fifth successive Premier League win.

Thomas Tuchel’s relief was writ large by the Blues’ German boss launching himself onto the field in exuberant celebration as Havertz netted the winner.

The former Paris St Germain boss spun to the crowd to join the Chelsea fans in a moment that saw all the Blues’ worries on the future drain away for just a split second.

Havertz’s 11th goal of the season proved enough to topple a resolute and disciplined Newcastle, on a day where Chelsea’s off-field problems dominated proceedings from first to last.

But just when the Blues were fretting on a niggling draw, up stepped Havertz to sink Eddie Howe’s robust Newcastle, whose nine-match unbeaten run in the Premier League was ruined in heartbreaking fashion.

Chelsea’s turbulent week ended with the Blues’ experiencing the limbo ushered in by the UK Government sanctions on owner Roman Abramovich for the first time at their west London home.

While Blues bosses continued lobbying Downing Street for a relaxation of Chelsea’s new operating licence, manager Tuchel battled to keep collective squad minds on football matters.

Two prospective Blues owners were even in the crowd, with both Nick Candy and Sir Martin Broughton among those to witness Havertz’s late moment of magic.

Supporters had trouble sticking solely to footballing matters, with no programmes able to be sold at Stamford Bridge, the club shop shut and Blues staff still worrying about their jobs.

Abramovich was sanctioned by the Government on Thursday, with Tory chiefs claiming to have proved the Russian-Israeli billionaire’s links to Vladimir Putin.

The 55-year-old Chelsea owner has always denied links to the Russian President, but the war in Ukraine has provided a major geopolitical shift.

Abramovich’s 19-year and 21-trophy tenure is at an end, with the Government now overseeing Chelsea’s sale amid ever-increasing suitors for the European and world club champions.

In a staccato first half, all the real rhythm came from the opposing supporters’ repartee.

Chelsea’s fans in the main opted against chanting for owner Abramovich, with Tuchel’s name the first to escape Blues lips en masse.

Newcastle’s fans wasted no time in poking the Chelsea bear though, piping up with ‘no noise from the bankrupt boys’.

Chelsea hit back with ‘Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that’, before Newcastle chorused ‘Mike Ashley, he’s coming for you’.

The Chelsea supporters could not resist a riposte of ‘Boris Johnson, he’s coming for you’, before Newcastle had the last word with ‘you only sing when you’re loaded’.

Chelsea’s first effort on target did not come until the 76th minute, when Havertz flicked Hakim Ziyech’s teasing cross goalwards.

Havertz could only trouble Martin Dubravka into a regulation save, but somehow he kept his best for last.

Just when all in Stamford Bridge geared up for the draw, Havertz stole in to tell west London otherwise.

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RONALDO SCORES RECORD HAT-TRICK TO HELP UNITED BEAT SPURS

Cristiano Ronaldo produced a hat-trick to lift Manchester United into fourth place and himself top of FIFA’s all-time scorers’ list as Tottenham Hotspur were beaten in a 3-2 thriller at Old Trafford.

Ronaldo arrowed in a stunning long-range shot to give the hosts a 12th-minute lead.

Harry Kane’s penalty drew Spurs level on 35 minutes after Alex Telles had handled Dejan Kulusevski’s cross.

Ronaldo restored Man Utd’s lead three minutes later, slotting in Jadon Sancho’s pass following a sweeping counter-attack.

Spurs levelled for a second time on 72 minutes when Sergio Reguilon’s cross was turned into his own net by Harry Maguire.

But with eight minutes remaining, Ronaldo superbly headed in a Telles centre to surpass the all-time goals record with his 807th career strike for club and country.

It was also his second Premier League hat-trick, more than 14 years after his first at home to Newcastle United in January 2008.

A first win in three lifts Man Utd to fourth with 50 points.

Spurs are five points back in seventh, having played two matches fewer.

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SALAH’S LANDMARK GOAL TAKES LIVERPOOL PAST BRIGHTON

Mohamed Salah scored Liverpool’s 2,000th Premier League goal as they battled to a 2-0 win at Brighton & Hove Albion that closed the gap on leaders Manchester City to three points.

Luis Diaz put Liverpool in front on 19 minutes, bravely heading in a superb pass from Joel Matip, February’s EA SPORTS Player of the Month, before colliding with goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.

Liverpool struggled to break Brighton down until Salah doubled their lead from the penalty spot on 61 minutes as the Egyptian punished a handball by Yves Bissouma.

It was Salah’s 20th Premier League goal of the season and made Liverpool the second team to reach 2,000 in the competition after Manchester United.

Salah then went off with an injury but, although Alisson denied Brighton substitutes Danny Welbeck and Solly March late on, Liverpool had done enough to secure an eighth successive league victory, moving them on to 66 points.

A fifth league defeat in a row leaves Brighton 13th on 33 points.

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EDDIE HOWE NAMED BARCLAYS MANAGER OF THE MONTH FOR FEBRUARY

Eddie Howe has claimed February 2022’s Barclays Manager of the Month award after guiding Newcastle United through the month unbeaten.

Howe wins the accolade after leading his side to three victories and a draw in four February matches, as Newcastle moved out of the bottom three for the first time since September and up to 14th.

“A lot questions were asked of our resilience and resolve, and ability to bounce back from what seemed, at some stages, I wouldn’t say impossible, but a very difficult moment and that’s where the players have really stepped up,” Howe said in the video above.

“They deserve a lot of credit for how they’ve attacked this spell of games and confidence has returned with every win.”

Newcastle kicked off the month with a 3-1 home victory against relegation rivals Everton and followed up by another St James’ Park success, a 1-0 triumph over Aston Villa, and he says the fans have made a huge difference.

“The supporters, since I’ve come to the football club, have been absolutely brilliant, home and away. But, the home atmosphere is just so unique. So, you can hear that roar, that feeling.

“It can only hope inspire the players and in those home games that we’ve had, no doubt, it’s made a difference.”

They then fought back to secure a 1-1 draw at West Ham United before finishing the month with a 2-0 win at Brentford.

The 44-year-old topped a four-man shortlist, beating Mikel Arteta, Ralph Hasenhuttl and Jurgen Klopp after votes from the public were combined with those of a panel of football experts.

It is the fourth occasion Howe has claimed the award, having previously won it three times with AFC Bournemouth.

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BRUNO GUIMARAES AND CHRIS WOOD GOALS HAND NEWCASTLE VICTORY

January signings Bruno Guimaraes and Chris Wood scored their first Newcastle goals to help fire Eddie Howe’s side to a sixth win in seven games with a 2-1 win over Southampton at St Mary’s.

Wood ended his longest goal drought in more than six years of 14 games to cancel out Stuart Armstrong’s goal before Guimaraes bagged the winner with a sublime piece of solo skill.

Newcastle handed Brazilian midfielder Guimaraes a first Premier League start since his transfer-window move from Lyon.

Saints, bidding to bounce back from Saturday’s 4-0 thumping at Aston Villa, welcomed back Ghanian centre-back Mohammed Salisu from injury.

Newcastle started brightly, forcing an early corner and with Jacob Murphy fizzing in an inviting cross that Jan Bednarek managed to clear before Wood could reach it.

Saints’ first meaningful attack came in the 20th minute when Oriol Romeu’s raking pass from the halfway line sent Armando Broja racing in behind the Newcastle defence.

Goalkeeper Martin Dubravka did well to come quickly off his line and steal the ball off Broja’s toes and turn it behind.

James Ward-Prowse’s resulting corner found Romeu in space on the edge of the penalty area, but the Spaniard ballooned his shot high over the crossbar.

Broja came close again in the 23rd minute but could only scuff his shot wide after being teed up by strike partner Che Adams following some sloppy play in midfield by Jonjo Shelvey.

Newcastle suddenly looked under pressure and Armstrong fired the home side in front two minutes later.

Kyle Walker-Peters floated in a delicious left-wing cross which was headed back across goal by Mohamed Elyounoussi for Armstrong to nod beyond the exposed Dubravka from four yards.

Saints’ lead lasted just seven minutes before Wood rose above Salisu to head Shelvey’s hanging cross past Fraser Forster to make it 1-1.

Scotland striker Adams then rattled the Newcastle crossbar with a power-packed volley from six yards.

It took an excellent piece of defending from Dan Burn to divert Ward-Prowse’s inswinging cross away from Broja as Saints reacted impressively to conceding.

The last opportunity of an entertaining first half came to Newcastle but midfielder Joe Willock could not keep his header down after arriving late in the Southampton box to meet a Guimaraes cross.

Newcastle were quickest out of the traps after half-time and found themselves in front seven minutes after the re-start.

Former Southampton left-back Matt Targett’s corner was headed down at the far post by Burn and Guimaraes improvised superbly to back-heel the ball into the roof of the net.

The visitors had Dubravka to thank for putting more daylight between them and the bottom three.

The Slovakian made two excellent saves in the closing minutes, first clawing away Salisu’s header and then tipping Armstrong’s long-range effort over the crossbar.

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LEEDS SUFFER SIXTH STRAIGHT PREMIER LEAGUE DEFEAT AS ASTON VILLA CRUISE TO WIN

Aston Villa inflicted a club record-equalling sixth successive league defeat on Leeds as Steven Gerrard’s impressive side won 3-0 at Elland Road.

Philippe Coutinho’s deflected effort gave Villa an interval lead, and they added further second-half goals that their performance warranted through Matty Cash and Calum Chambers.

It was Villa’s third straight Premier League win, which lifted them up to ninth in the table, while it was a sorry night for Leeds in head coach Jesse Marsch’s first home game in charge.

Not since February 2004 have the Yorkshire side lost six consecutive league games, and they went on to be relegated from the top flight at the end of that season.

This was their seventh defeat in their last eight matches and has left them two points above the relegation zone.

The two teams immediately below them, Everton and Burnley, have three and two games in hand respectively and the sight of home fans heading for the exit 10 minutes before the end told its own story.

Marsch replaced Marcelo Bielsa at the beginning of last week and there had been encouraging signs in his first game in charge – a 1-0 defeat at Leicester – that the American had shored up a leaky defence.

But this Leeds display bore all the hallmarks of a side that has lost its way.

Raphinha went agonisingly close to giving Leeds an 18th-minute lead after charging down Lucas Digne’s attempted clearance and combining with Dan James, but the Brazilian’s back-heeled effort rolled inches wide.

Villa went ahead in the 22nd minute after Countinho’s low shot following Cash’s cross took a faint touch off Pascal Struijk to wrong-foot Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier.

It was Coutinho’s fourth goal since joining Villa in January and was the visitors’ first meaningful effort on goal.

It also took the sting out of the home crowd, for a short while at least, as Villa looked more assured and took control.

Indecisiveness had not been apparent in Leeds’ first game under Marsch but too many of their players appeared unsure on the ball against Villa and passes went astray.

Villa looked the more threatening side until half-time and were only denied a second goal when impressive midfielder John McGinn’s low curling effort was brilliantly saved by Meslier.

Marsch sent on teenage striker Joe Gelhardt for the ineffective Rodrigo at the start of the second half and Leeds went on to the offensive.

Raphinha’s cross was cleared by Cash and Koch blazed his shot over the crossbar.

Leeds were much improved, and the home faithful responded before rising to their feet in the 59th minute when Patrick Bamford ended his three-month injury lay-off by stepping into the fray as a replacement for Jack Harrison.

But the home cheers turned to jeers soon after when Cash fired Villa into a 2-0 lead after finding himself in plenty of space on the right edge of the area following Danny Ings’ cross-field pass.

The defender cut inside Junior Firpo and beat Meslier with a fierce low drive inside the near post in the 65th minute.

It got worse for Leeds as their brittle confidence evaporated. Villa broke forward and when Tyrone Mings laid the ball back on the edge of the area, Chambers swept home a superb third goal into the top corner.

Leeds’ misery was complete in the closing stages when Firpo was stretchered off following a touchline challenge.