Tag: Tottenham Hotspur

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SENSATIONAL HEUNG-MIN SON HAT-TRICK SENDS SPURS THREE POINTS CLEAR IN FOURTH

Son Heung-min fired a sensational hat-trick as Tottenham took control of the race for a Premier League top-four spot with a 4-0 win at Aston Villa.

After Manchester United and Arsenal both lost earlier in the day, Son’s treble and a fine Dejan Kulusevski strike sent Spurs three points in clear in fourth.

It was a fourth win in a row, a seventh from the last nine and makes it difficult to look past them in the battle for Champions League qualification following Antonio Conte’s transformation of this team.

Their deadly front three, with Harry Kane creating two of the goals, sealed the victory, but Spurs also have skipper Hugo Lloris to thank just as much.

After Son’s early opener they were on the rack for most of the first half, with the Frenchman’s heroics keeping a rampant Villa at bay.

Their lethal quality on the break in the second half saw them run away with it and inflict a fourth straight defeat on Steven Gerrard’s side.

Tottenham would have enjoyed watching the results from earlier in the day come in, providing them with a real opportunity to take control of their top-four hopes.

And they could not have dreamed of a better start as they went ahead in just the third minute through Son.

Kane’s drilled shot hit Matty Cash in the midriff and fell perfectly to the South Korean, who fizzed a fine first-time effort into the bottom corner.

But Villa’s response was admirable and Spurs needed their captain Lloris to step up with three big saves.

First he palmed away a low Cash effort, then somehow clawed away Jacob Ramsey’s effort at the near post after the Villa man had weaved into the area before also stopping John McGinn’s swerving shot from distance.

The hosts were all over Spurs like a rash, not letting their visitors breathe, and the chances kept on coming.

Danny Ings shot straight at Lloris from a well-worked free-kick, Ollie Watkins headed over from Phillipe Coutinho’s cross and then saw the Spurs stopper make another save.

The Frenchman was the busiest player on the pitch and had to keep out a Coutinho free-kick at the near post as he ended the first half with seven saves to his name.

Gerrard will have been scratching his head as to how his side were not comfortably in front by the interval, so he probably knew what was coming in the second half.

Just five minutes after the restart Spurs doubled their lead with a moment of real quality.

Kane flicked on Lloris’ long ball into the path of Kulusevski and the Swede did brilliantly to fire a low shot across goal and into the far corner.

Villa had run out of steam and Spurs landed a killer blow in the 66th minute as the Kane-Son partnership delivered again.

It was Kane’s brilliant awareness that set Son clear, knowing exactly where to direct his headed flick, and the South Korean coolly converted past Emi Martinez.

Son completed his hat-trick five minutes later, putting the finishing touches to a brilliant team move.

Kane and Son combined to play Kulusevski in down the right and after a mazy run he cut back to Son, who swept home in style to claim the matchball.

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TOTTENHAM THRASH NEWCASTLE 5-1 TO HEAT UP TOP-FOUR BATTLE

Tottenham moved into the top four of the Premier League with a statement 5-1 win over Newcastle which piles the pressure on north London rivals Arsenal.

After falling behind to Fabian Schar’s first-half free-kick, goals from Ben Davies, Matt Doherty, Son Heung-min, Emerson Royal and Steven Bergwijn moved them above the Gunners in the table on goal difference.

Mikel Arteta’s men will reclaim fourth spot on Monday night if they take a point from their visit to Crystal Palace, but Spurs are firmly in the race for a Champions League place having seemed out of contention a few weeks ago.

Five wins from the last six games, inspired by the front three of Harry Kane, Son and Dejan Kulusevski, has boosted hopes of a return to Europe’s top tier and their fate could come down to their home game with Arsenal, which has yet to be rearranged.

They were simply too good for the Magpies, who have now lost three in a row and sit nine points above the drop zone.

Eddie Howe’s side came and deployed a tactic that Spurs are known to struggle with as they sat deep and denied the hosts space in the final third.

And it worked for the majority of the first half as although Spurs had plenty of the ball they could not create anything clear-cut.

Then things got even better for the visitors as they went ahead in the 39th minute.

Son fouled Joe Willock on the edge of the area and Schar sent a low free-kick around the wall and past Hugo Lloris, who got a hand to it and was disappointed not to keep it out.

But that was as good as it got for Newcastle as Antonio Conte’s men hit back in style.

They got back on level terms quickly as Davies glanced home from Son’s cross after Spurs recycled a corner.

That gave the hosts the platform to go on in the second half and win the game and they took the opportunity with both hands, scoring three goals in 18 minutes.

Doherty put them ahead in the 48th minute, arriving late at the far post to nod home Kane’s superb ball across the face of the goal.

The goal of the game came six minutes later as Spurs’ in-form front three combined in style.

Kane set Kulusevski free down the right, the Swede picked out Son, who controlled and fired into the corner from 10 yards out.

The fourth goal, in the 63rd minute, came from a more unexpected source as Emerson, only playing because of an injury to Sergio Reguilon, poked home at the near post from Doherty’s cross.

Spurs should have made it five, but Son rolled an effort wide after Kane’s 40-yard pass played him in on goal.

They eventually did score a fifth – for a second time in three home games – as Bergwijn scored two minutes after coming on, slotting home having been sent clear by Lucas Moura.

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ANTONIO CONTE: SPURS NEED TO TREAT FINAL NINE GAMES AS CUP FINALS

Tottenham boss Antonio Conte says his side have nine cup finals left as they try and earn Champions League qualification.

Spurs kept themselves firmly in the race for the top four with a 3-1 win over West Ham, which came thanks to Son Heung-min’s brace and a Kurt Zouma own goal.

That moved them three points behind Arsenal, who have a game in hand, but have to visit their north London rivals in a game that is yet to be rescheduled.

Having distanced his side from the race for so long, Conte says that top-four qualification is now the only target going into the final run-in after the international break.

“The only way to put pressure on Arsenal is to get three points and to win,” Conte said. “There are nine games to go and for us every game has to be a final.

“At the moment they have a good advantage, especially because they are working with the same coach for many years and they have had many transfer markets with the same coach, maybe at this moment they are more ready than us.

“But in five months we have done a fantastic job with these players and we have reduced the gap with many teams in England.

“Now in our dressing room there is only one target in our mind. I want this to happen because it is right, if you want to improve the mentality it is right to start under pressure.

“For this reason I want to make this target, the race for fourth place. We know the difficulty to reach this target. Tottenham needs to have the ambition to play the best competition.

“In England it is not simple, in this moment there are four teams that are very, very top but if one of these four teams has a struggle and then we have to try and stay there.

“We know there is Arsenal that is taking advantage in the table and they are showing great stability and there is West Ham and (Manchester) United. We want to try to fight and to have this ambition is important to ask all of the players, especially the important players because they are able to take the responsibility to show this message.”

West Ham’s own top-four challenge suffered a terminal blow as they are now six points behind Arsenal, having played two more games.

They got themselves back into the game through Said Benrahma but could not get anything out of it.

Boss David Moyes said: “I am a bit annoyed that I am getting asked it, but also I’m quite pleased because it’s telling me we were seen as a side that was getting seen for top four.

“If somebody had said that to me I would have belly laughed. We have been challenging but if you’d have said that at the start of the season none of you would have said yes.

“It should be put as how well have West Ham done to stay in the race until the last part of season and maybe for the first time they have dropped out of the running for the top four.

“Because in truth we have been in that bracket, but you would never see West Ham being a top-four side.”

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SON BAGS A BRACE AS TOTTENHAM CLOSE IN ON TOP FOUR WITH WESTHAM WIN

Son Heung-min’s double saw Tottenham register a huge win in the race for Champions League qualification as they beat West Ham 3-1.

The South Korean scored twice, having also been involved in Kurt Zouma’s own goal, as Spurs made it four Premier League victories from five to close the gap on fourth-placed Arsenal.

They are now three points behind the Gunners, who have a game in hand but still have to visit their north London rivals in a clash that is yet to be rescheduled.

Antonio Conte’s men, who also climbed above the Hammers, will believe they have the momentum in the battle for the top four as they signed off for the international break in style.

This was a damaging defeat for West Ham, who got on the scoresheet through Said Benrahma, in their own pursuit of the top four as they are six points behind the Gunners having played two games more and winning the Europa League may now be their most realistic route of getting Champions League football next season.

The Hammers’ exertions against Sevilla on Thursday night must have played a part as Tottenham made an impressive start and went ahead in the ninth minute, becoming the beneficiaries of another own goal.

Matt Doherty won the ball high up the field with some good pressing, Harry Kane squared to Son and the last touch came from Kurt Zouma – the sixth time an opposition player has put through his own net against Spurs this season.

West Ham should have levelled almost instantly as Eric Dier was muscled off the ball by Michail Antonio, but he drilled inches wide.

A matter of inches also denied Spurs a second shortly afterwards as a forging run by Dejan Kulusevski, followed by a one-two with Kane, saw him break into the box and his pullback was turned onto a post by Son.

The South Korean finally got his goal as Spurs doubled their lead in the 24th minute as he again paired up with Kane.

Kane’s defence-splitting pass sent him clear and he lashed the ball past Lukasz Fabianski with the aid of a deflection.

Spurs were in total control, but they allowed West Ham back into the game 10 minutes before the break as they were punished for some poor defending.

Doherty conceded a needless corner which was allowed to make its way to the far post where Benrahma was waiting to convert, having lost his marker.

The second half was on a knife edge as both sides had chances in the first 15 minutes.

Kane wasted a massive chance to make it 3-1 as a heavy first touch from Son’s through ball allowed Fabianski to come out and make a save, while Antonio blazed well over at the far post from Aaron Creswell’s cross.

Spurs began to find space on the counter-attack and had Sergio Reguilon any sort of confidence in the penalty area he might have been able to extend the lead, but after two Kane passes put him in the clear, he first elected to go down looking for a penalty and then shot straight at Fabianski.

The England captain was then guilty of missing a golden chance to wrap the game up with 10 minutes remaining.

A clever pass by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg played him in on goal, but Kane skied his effort when trying to clip the ball over Fabianski.

Spurs finally ensured it would not be a nervy finish as Son killed the game in the 88th minute, latching onto Kane’s header and converting with ease for the pair’s 39th goal combination in the Premier League.

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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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KANE HITS BRACE AS SPURS PUT FIVE PAST EVERTON

Harry Kane scored twice as Tottenham Hotspur moved three points outside the top four with their biggest win of the season, beating struggling Everton 5-0.

Spurs took the lead after 14 minutes when Ryan Sessegnon’s low cross was turned in to his own net by Michael Keane.

Son Heung-min made it 2-0 less than three minutes later, collecting Dejan Kulusevski’s slipped pass and firing past Jordan Pickford.

Kane ran clean through on goal to score from Matt Doherty’s pass on 37 minutes, and half-time substitute Sergio Reguilon swept home Spurs’ fourth less than a minute after his introduction.

Kane made it 5-0 in the 55th minute with a brilliant angled volley from Doherty’s long pass, and Pickford had to make a smart save to stop substitute Steven Bergwijn adding a sixth.

Spurs stay seventh but now have 45 points. A third straight defeat means Everton stay 17th on 22 points, one point above the relegation zone.

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FA CUP QUARTER FINAL DRAW: MIDDLESBROUGH HANDED CHELSEA TIE AFTER KNOCKING OUT MAN UTD AND SPURS

Middlesbrough’s reward for knocking Tottenham out of the FA Cup is a home quarter-final against Chelsea.

Boro followed up their fourth-round penalty shoot-out win over Manchester United by deservedly beating Spurs 1-0 after extra time on Tuesday and will now face a third Premier League giant in the last eight.

Chelsea beat Luton on Wednesday and make the long trip north looking to make it back to Wembley for the semi-finals, having been beaten in last season’s final.

Six-time winners Manchester City have been handed a tough draw as they visit Premier League outfit Southampton, while Liverpool – fresh from winning the Carabao Cup on Sunday – are guaranteed Championship opposition after being drawn against the winner of Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield, who play on Monday night.

Crystal Palace will play Everton or Boreham Wood, who battle it out on Thursday, at Selhurst Park.

Ties will be played over the weekend of March 19th and 20th.

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MEE’S GOAL GIVES BURNLEY VICTORY OVER SPURS

Ben Mee’s second-half header secured a 1-0 win for Burnley over Tottenham Hotspur to give their hopes of staying up a huge boost.

After a goalless opening 45 minutes, Spurs almost took the lead at the start of the second half, but Harry Kane’s header came back off the crossbar.

Spurs upped the pressure as Ben Davies fired an effort straight at Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope in the 64th minute.

But it was the Clarets who took the lead on 71 minutes as captain Mee rose highest to nod Josh Brownhill’s free-kick beyond Hugo Lloris.

Mee almost doubled his tally, twice getting shots away at another set-piece before Jay Rodriguez fired over from close range.

Successive victories mean Burnley rise to 18th position on 20 points, two behind 17th-placed Newcastle United with one match in hand.

Spurs are eighth on 39 points, seven adrift of Manchester United, in fourth, with a couple of matches in hand.

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LATE HEADER FROM HARRY KANE SEALS DRAMATIC WIN FOR TOTTENHAM AT MANCITY

Harry Kane reminded Manchester City just what they missed out on as he scored two goals to earn Tottenham a dramatic 3-2 win at the Etihad Stadium.

The England captain was desperate to join the champions in the summer but City never came up with an offer that even got close to Spurs’ valuation, and how he made them pay as their 15-game unbeaten streak was ended.

After playing his part in Dejan Kulusevski’s opener, he put Spurs back in front following Ilkay Gundogan’s equaliser with a sublime finish before delivering late drama.

Riyad Mahrez’s stoppage-time penalty had looked like stealing City a point but Kane, who also had a goal ruled out by VAR, had other ideas, heading home an even later winner in the fifth minute of time added on.

Kane’s performance could easily tempt City back into the market for him in the summer, but Spurs will be hoping this result can reignite their Champions League hopes.

The result will also have been welcomed at Liverpool as they cut the gap to six points at the top and they have a game in hand as the Premier League title race hots up.

It was a win and performance that was at odds with what has happened at the north London club following three successive defeats.

While Antonio Conte had been fighting fires after appearing to question Spurs’ transfer policy in an Italian TV interview, City boss Pep Guardiola was complimentary about them in the build-up.

It is easy to see why as he has been stung by Spurs enough in recent seasons, as the north London team have had the knack of being able to exploit them with Son Heung-min running in behind.

And they needed just four minutes to execute that plan again as they took the lead.

Kane dropped deep and set Son racing through with a delightful pass and the South Korean unselfishly played in Kulusevski who converted into an empty net.

It was a classic Spurs goal against City, but the home response was typically strong.

Joao Cancelo drifted an effort just wide after cutting inside and then Gundogan rattled the post with an effort from just inside the area.

On an evening when Spurs needed their goalkeeper to be at his very best if they were to stand a chance, Hugo Lloris produced a costly error that allowed City to equalise just after the half-hour.

The Frenchman, who cost Spurs two goals in last week’s 2-0 defeat to Wolves, spilled Raheem Sterling’s cross and Gundogan was on hand to convert into an empty net.

Spurs survived to half-time and were also able to snuff out City after the restart with some strong defending.

They continued to look dangerous on the break and Son tested Ederson from distance after being played in by Kane.

There was nothing Ederson could do about Kane’s brilliant goal that saw Spurs regain their lead just before the hour.

After Ryan Sessegnon picked up a loose ball, he fed Son and the South Korean took his time to pick out his mate Kane, who was arriving late in the box to produce a sublime finish into the top corner.

The 28-year-old was the man of the moment and should have made it 3-1 moments later after being played in again by Son, but Ederson produced a fine save with his feet.

Lloris went some way to redeeming himself soon after with a spectacular save, tipping Gundogan’s goalbound shot around the post.

Kane did have the ball in the net in the 73rd minute with another clinical finish, sparking mad scenes of celebration, but they were ruined by VAR as Kulusevski was offside in the build-up.

City had not really threatened a leveller but were awarded a penalty in the 90th minute when Cristian Romero handled at close range, with referee Anthony Taylor changing his decision after seeing the replay on the pitchside monitor.

But Kane was not done and there was one more twist in stoppage time.

Kulusevski got the ball out on the right, cut inside and delivered a perfect cross for Kane to power a header home.

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HAKIM ZIYECH’S MOMENT OF MAGIC INSPIRES CHELSEA TO VICTORY OVER TOTTENHAM

Hakim Ziyech lived up to his wizard nickname with a spellbinding strike to sink Tottenham 2-0 at Stamford Bridge in a pivotal Premier League win for Chelsea.

Thiago Silva headed home Mason Mount’s free-kick to cement Chelsea’s third victory over their London rivals this month, after wins in both legs of the Carabao Cup semi-final.

Wily Brazil defender Silva had earlier done just enough after a push from Harry Kane to earn a foul that denied the England captain the game’s opening goal.

Kane tapped past Kepa Arrizabalaga after a light tussle with Silva in the Chelsea box, only to be penalised for a foul on Silva, leaving the game scoreless at half-time.

Ziyech’s masterful curling effort transformed the mood at Stamford Bridge, however, for both himself and all of Chelsea.

The 28-year-old refused to celebrate his blistering goal at Brighton on Tuesday, but five days later his moment of sheer magic had him pointing to the skies in jubilation.

If Ziyech needed the personal boost, how Chelsea required this result. The Blues’ five draws since December and then defeat at Manchester City had left Thomas Tuchel’s men in a precarious Premier League position.

Tottenham pitched up in west London with four games in hand over their fierce foes, knowing that a maximum return would see them leapfrog the Blues and move into the top four.

Chelsea’s first league win in five – and since Boxing Day – eased a huge amount of pressure, though, as the hosts finally found their fluency in a pulsating second half.

Spurs finished the day in seventh spot, trailing the third-placed Blues by 11 points, with a possible 12 in hand. The manner of the defeat, however, and the overall momentum swing, will leave Chelsea by far the more confident of a top-four finish.

Tottenham’s nine-match unbeaten Premier League run under new boss Antonio Conte came to an abrupt end, with the Italian manager defeated at his old stomping ground once more.

Ziyech’s wonder strike would have been worthy of winning any contest, though, and Callum Hudson-Odoi must also earn big plaudits for his assist.

The England forward rolled Japhet Tanganga to jink clear before feeding Ziyech on the edge of the area.

What followed turned a game that until the break at least had hung right in the balance.

Romelu Lukaku spurned a fine chance for Chelsea just minutes into the contest.

The Belgium striker leaned back on Mount’s low centre and skied the ball into the stands.

Ziyech’s cute far-post cross then had Hudson-Odoi creeping round the back of the defence only to nod wide.

The Moroccan did hit the target from 20 yards, but Hugo Lloris coped easily with an effort lacking true venom.

Matt Doherty was rightly not censured after Malang Sarr’s heavy fall under a challenge.

Chelsea’s measured build-up play could not be matched in the final third, as Jorginho’s loose pass meant for Lukaku saw a promising move break down.

Lukaku wasted another glorious opening from another low Mount cross, with Hudson-Odoi unable to make anything happen after latching on to the loose ball at the far post.

Kane thought he had stolen Tottenham the lead at the death of the first half, only for his effort to be chalked off almost as soon as the ball crossed the whitewash.

The England captain was pulled back for his push on Silva, with the Brazil defender using all his wiles to earn the foul and deny Spurs the goal.

Chelsea returned from the half-time break a team refreshed and revitalised.

And Ziyech’s wonderful goal only added to that rejuvenation as the Morocco forward left Lloris no chance by fizzing the ball right into the top corner.

Silva put the seal on Mount’s wicked free-kick to wrap up a result to fire up the Blues and stall the Spurs.