Spurs keep title race alive
Harry Kane became the first Tottenham Hotspur player since the great Jimmy Greaves to hit 20 goals in three successive top-flight seasons after netting in the 4-0 Premier League defeat of Bournemouth.
The win pushed Tottenham to within four points of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table. Kane slotted his 20th goal of the season just after halftime in his first start since a month-long layoff with an ankle injury.
He also had a hand in Son Heung-min’s effort which put Tottenham 2-0 up inside 20 minutes.
Greaves, Tottenham’s record goalscorer with 266 in all competitions, managed at least 20 between 1966 and 1969.
Kane, who won the Golden Boot award last season with 25 goals as Tottenham challenged for the title, is only the fourth player since the start of the Premier League to score 20 goals in three successive seasons - joining Thierry Henry, Alan Shearer and Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Kane played down his feat, insisting the only focus was on Tottenham maintaining the form that has seen them win seven consecutive top-flight games for the first time in 50 years.
‘‘It’s good to be consistent as a striker. I want to do that year in year out. We’ve still got plenty to do this season so I don’t want to think about it,’’ Kane said of his achievement.
Manchester City kept pace to move into third place and remain seven points behind Spurs with a 3-0 win over Southampton.
Vincent Kompany scored his first goal in 20 months in only his second start on his latest comeback from injury for City when he opened the scoring in the 55th minute.
Leroy Sane grabbed a second in the 77th minute moments before Sergio Aguero chipped in with his 29th goal of the season - and 11th in 11 games - to seal a comfortable victory.
At the opposite end of the table Sunderland very nearly pulled of a much-needed late comeback against 10-man West Ham but had to settle for a 2-2 draw which will almost certainly seal their relegation.
Resurgent Crystal Palace pulled off a similar feat at Selhurst Park, coming from 2-0 down to draw with Leicester and put themselves seven points above the drop zone.
Fellow relegation candidates Swansea and Hull both lost.
Swansea fell 1-0 to Watford to stay in the drop zone when Etienne Capoue scored the only goal of the game in the 42nd minute.
Hull were humbled 3-1 at Stoke City in a game where they squandered several first-half chances.
Everton beat Burnley 3-1.