KANE REIGNS IN THE RAIN
Harry and Lamela are on target again
HARRY KANE ended his goal drought and Tottenham swerved a fourth defeat in a row with a gritty victory that just about answered the critics.
Kane had not scored in any competition – and Spurs had not won – since a 3-0 romp at Manchester United last month.
But just as the knives were out and manager Mauricio Pochettino seemed to be losing his rag, Spurs found a way to win on the rainswept south coast.
It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t convincing and looked unlikely until a stupid handball from Brighton’s Glenn Murray gifted Kane a 42nd-minute chance to score from the spot.
But Spurs ground it out and, after Erik Lamela made it 2-0, they are now up to fifth in the table, only six points behind leaders Liverpool.
Even if Brighton, who grabbed an injury-time consolation through Anthony Knockaert, didn’t deserve it.
The visitors certainly went into this game with some huge questions to answer after Pochettino’s rant in Milan in midweek when he called for more respect for himself and his players.
The Argentine (left) was fuming that his decision to leave Kieran Trippier and Toby Alderweireld at home for a Champions League game against Inter Milan – which Spurs lost 2-1 – had been questioned.
Perhaps he was just trying to distract attention away from the fact Tottenham had lost three games in a row and were in danger of throwing away a good start to the season.
But, with Trippier and Alderweireld back in the team at Brighton, it was obvious where the focus would be.
Tottenham looked short on ideas and slow off the mark against a well set-up Brighton side, even though the hosts lost Dale Stephens to injury early on.
But the visitors got their breakthrough, thanks to a moment of madness from Murray just before half-time.
The Brighton striker jumped in the wall to try and keep out a Trippier free-kick – and diverted it away with his raised forearm.
There was nothing referee Chris Kavanagh could do but award a penalty – and Kane smashed it home to emphatically end his goal drought.
Brighton knew they had to respond after the break and be more ambitious – and they certainly tried.
But just when it seemed Brighton were building up a head of steam, Pochettino brought on Lamela for Son Heung-min .
Within eight minutes, the Argentine had the ball in the net, before Knockaert scored a superb consolation in the final minute.
It wasn’t the most convincing victory for Spurs, but, in the context of the last few weeks, it was a big one.