Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SPECIAL ONE, , TWO, THREE years in rout
Bale hits a fantastic hat-trick as Wales superstar rolls back the
TOTTENHAM Bale 36, 61, 69, Son 77 SHEFFIELD UNITED
JOHN CROSS
4 0 GARETH BALE allowed Tottenham fans to dream again with a glorious hat-trick to keep their slender Champions League hopes alive.
Bale rolled back the years, as he showed glimpses of the brilliance which once made him the most expensive player in the world. The 31-year-old scored with three super finishes, lit up an end-of-season game and, in a normal year, would have gone off to a standing ovation when he was substituted in the
75th minute.
And that is the cruel thing. Spurs fans have been denied the chance to see one of their all-time greats in the flesh because of the empty stadiums in the Covid era.
Instead, there were cheers and applause from the directors’ box with chairman Daniel Levy
making the most noise. In a turbulent, topsyturvy season, Levy at least tried to deliver a fairytale by signing Bale on a season-long loan last September, but the story often did not look as if it would have a happy ending. Jose Mourinho was reluctant to play Bale at times, questioning his motivation and fitness but, when he has been given the chance, the old excitement has been there.
Bale’s pace was electric, his
finishing top class and it will beg the question of whether they can get him back on loan from Real Madrid for another year.
The noises have not been good, but Bale – who joined Real Madrid for £85million in 2013 – has still got it when he is in the mood.
He has scored nine Premier League goals and only ever beat that tally once in his previous time at the club.
It was a brilliant man-of-thematch display and in the end it turned into a rout, as Spurs caretaker boss Ryan Mason (with Bale, left) delivered a halfprobably decent audition and goals rained down in the second half.
But Mason will have done himself no harm by picking such an attacking line-up, unleashing Bale, Heung-min Son – who was also on target – together with Harry Kane and
Dele Alli in the starting XI. This is what the north Londoners are supposed to be about – attacking flair, excitement and drama. Not the terrible no-show against Manchester City in last week’s Carabao Cup final.
Whether these sort of wins are enough for Mason to stand a realistic chance of getting the manager’s job permanently will probably depend on whether they qualify for Europe. The top four looks a big ask but Spurs are still in the hunt.
The hosts broke the deadlock after 36 minutes when Serge Aurier’s lofted through-ball put in Bale to fire past Sheffield United keeper Aaron Ramsdale.
Blades midfielder John Fleck was lucky not to see red after catching Giovani Lo Celso in the head with a stray boot (left) while VAR ruled out Son’s effort.
But Bale made it two after 61 minutes. Son saw Bale sprinting from inside his own half and raced through before smashing a shot into the top corner.
Bale completed his hat-trick after 69 minutes, as Alli and Aurier combined to set him up. Son was rewarded on 77 minutes with a sensational 25-yard shot, which flew in off the post.