KANE CLAIMS ANOTHER
Spurs striker Kane on target again to close the gap on Kop rival Salah in the race for the Golden Boot
HE looked leggy and leaden-footed by his own sky-high standards – yet Harry Kane was still able to keep his bid for the Golden Boot alive.
Brave Brighton denied his Tottenham side all three points, courtesy of a Pascal Gross penalty just two minutes after Kane’s strike early in the second half.
But Mauricio Pochettino’s fourth-placed side look good for Champions League qualification anyway, while Chris Hughton has all but secured another season of top-flight football at the Amex.
From his “claiming” activity on social media last week, Kane still has that Golden Boot on his mind. With a third consecutive award at stake and Liverpool’s Mo Salah rampaging towards it – the Egyptian has 30 Premier League goals to Kane’s 26 – you can understand the England striker’s determination not to let it slip away.
It is almost certainly one of the reasons why he looks to have rushed his return from his ankle injury at Bournemouth last month.
Kane’s only goal from his previous six games had been THAT controversial effort at Stoke, the source of so much merriment from rival fans and players.
Here there was no need for the Premier League, the dubious goals panel or anyone from Match of the Day to get involved.
His powerfully-struck effort will have been just the boost Kane needed after the widespread stick he had to put up with last week.
Toby Alderweireld – making his first Premier League start since October – was another big plus for Spurs, in from the cold and playing with a confidence that surely now forces him into the first-team picture.
For so long here it looked as though Pochettino’s men would not find a way through at all.
It was 28 minutes before Kane even attempted a run at the Brighton defence, only to be easily snuffed out.
Two minutes later he turned Shane Duffy on the edge of the box, only to slip and scoop his shot to safety.
Instead it was Lucas Moura and Son Heung-Min who tested Brighton during the first half. Moura had Brighton keeper Mat Ryan arching his back to tip over a 25-yard drive that looked to be heading under the bar. Son had Ryan flinging an arm down to his left to keep out a low effort on the stroke of half-time.
It was in three minutes after the break that Spurs finally found a way through. Son did superbly on the byline to keep the ball in play before Kane lashed it in off defender Bruno. Joy for the north Londoners turned to frustration from the restart, however.
Brighton immediately broke down the left, worked the ball into the box and clumsy Serge Aurier bundled over Jose Izquierdo.
A stonewall penalty. Gross did the honours for a draw that lifts Albion eight points clear of the drop.