Toronto Star

Tottenham not ready to concede top spot to Chelsea

- ROB HARRIS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LONDON— Unlike last season’s title race, Tottenham knows it isn’t on the wrong side of a popularity contest in its pursuit of Chelsea.

Leicester was the undoubted pick of the neutrals as it fought off Tottenham’s challenge to improbably collect the Premier League trophy last May.

Now Tottenham occupies the role of the underdog, sitting four points behind Chelsea after swatting aside Bournemout­h 4-0 on Saturday.

“We expended a lot energy fighting against Leicester, but against West Brom, against Chelsea, against the media,” Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said, recalling last season’s late costly draws against West Bromwich Albion and Chelsea. “We fought against everyone, but now we are focusing on fighting our opponents when we play.

“Then we spend time and energy on preparing ourselves to compete in the best way. We have improved a lot, from the beginning of the season that was our chance to improve our mentality, our belief and I think you can see the group and the team have improved.”

If Chelsea can be chased down in Spurs’ remaining six games, Tottenham would be crowned champions for the first time since1961, and etching another new name in the Premier League trophy. A triumph for Chelsea, which is at Manchester United on Sunday, would be far less enchanting, given the west London club has won the league four times since 2005.

All Tottenham can do is keep racking up the wins — Saturday’s was the seventh in a row — and raising the goal-difference advantage over Chelsea in case it matters. Tottenham has a six-goal edge over Chelsea by that reckoning after another irresistib­le performanc­e on Saturday that produced a club-record 12th straight home win.

Even substitute Vincent Jansson managed to score his first goal from open play eight months into the misfiring striker’s first Premier League campaign, wrapping up the victory in stoppage time. It was opened by Mousa Dembele scoring his first goal of the season in the 16th minute, ghosting into the penalty area unmarked to meet Christian Eriksen’s corner.

Inside three minutes, Son Heung-min put the ball through goalkeeper Artur Boruc’s legs for his 19th goal of the campaign to become the highest-scoring South Korean in a single European season since Cha Bum-kun for Bayer Leverkusen in 1985-86.

Tottenham has dispelled notions it is over-reliant on Harry Kane by continuing to thrive during the top-scorer’s injury absence. Naturally, though, on his first start in almost five weeks, Kane netted his 25th goal in all competitio­ns this season three minutes into the second half. It’s the third successive year that Kane has hit 20 league goals in a season.

“The only way to build that winning mentality is to always play in the same tempo, with the same focus during the 90 minutes,” Pochettino said.

Here’s a look at the rest of the day’s Premier League action:

SUNDERLAND 2, WEST HAM 2

There’s still a chance Sunderland could avoid the drop, but it’s an unlikely prospect even after Fabio Borini came off the bench to rescue a point in the 90th.

CRYSTAL PALACE 2, LEICESTER 2

Crystal Palace recovered from two goals down to move seven points clear of the relegation zone.

EVERTON 3, BURNLEY 1

Phil Jagielka’s close-range effort, Ross Barkley’s deflected strike and Romelu Lukaku’s league-leading 24th of the campaign sealed Everton’s eighth successive home win.

STOKE 3, HULL 1

Hull remains two points above the relegation zone after 11th-placed Stoke ended its four-game losing run.

WATFORD 1, SWANSEA 0

Swansea is two points behind Hull in the third relegation place after a fifth loss in six games.

 ?? FRANK AUGSTEIN/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ?? Tottenham Hotspur’s Mousa Dembele, front, and Bournemout­h’s Benik Afobe challenge for the ball during Premier League action on Saturday in London.
FRANK AUGSTEIN/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Tottenham Hotspur’s Mousa Dembele, front, and Bournemout­h’s Benik Afobe challenge for the ball during Premier League action on Saturday in London.

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