SPURS HAPLESS WITHOUT HARRY
Kane missed as Brighton end wait for win at home
TOTTENHAM finished with five forwards on the Amex Stadium pitch last night – but not one of them could fill the scoring boots of Harry Kane.
And without the injured England captain, sorry Spurs limped to defeat as Brighton deservedly won their first Premier League home game of the season.
Gareth Bale started only his second league match this season in a revamped front three along with Son Heung-Min and Steven Bergwijn.
But the Welshman continued to give an unrecognisable impersonation of the superstar from his first spell at the club and was hooked after 62 minutes.
Carlos Vinicius, Lucas Moura and Erik Lamela were all thrown on but no-one could replace talisman Kane’s finishing or creativity.
Kane has 11 assists this season – the most in the Premier League – and his ability to drop deep and pick out Son was sorely missed. Classy Alexis Mac Allister ran the midfield and set up Leandro Trossard’s first-half winer.
Son had no-one on his wavelength.
For Tottenham’s sake, Kane needs to get well soon from his ankle injury.
Brighton’s position suddenly looks a lot healthier after ending a run of 14 home league games without a win, stretching back to beating Arsenal in June.
The pressure had been on with Fulham, West Brom and Newcastle all picking up points. But they responded in style and outplayed another north London club to move seven points clear of the drop zone.
Pascal Gross hit the post in the third minute after neat work from Mac Allister but sloppy Spurs did not heed the warning.
The Argentinian slid in Gross down the inside-right channel and the German’s low ball was swept home by Trossard for his first goal since the opening day of the season.
Tottenham’s only shot of the opening period was wide by Bergwijn after 30 minutes. And Bale’s biggest contribution was blocking a goal-bound Lewis Dunk header from a corner.
Spurs manager Jose Mourinho sent on Vinicius at the break and at least he looked like scoring as he forced two saves from Brighton keeper Robert Sanchez.
Hugo Lloris, on his 350th Spurs appearance, saved well from a deflected BenWhite shot but needed Toby Alderweireld to make a superb goal-line block to deny sub Aaron Connolly a deserved second. BRIGHTON (3-5-2): Sanchez 5; White 7, Dunk 7, Webster 6; Veltman 6 (Burn, 72), Gross 67, Bissouma 6, Mac Allister 8, March 7; Trossard 7 (Connolly, 79) Maupay 6 (Lallana,80). Goal: Trossard 17. TOTTENHAM (3-4-3): Lloris 6; Sanchez 5 (Vinicius 46, 5), Alderweireld 6, Rodon 6; Sissoko 5, Hojbjerg 6, Ndombele 5 (Lamela 73), Davies 5; Bale 4 (Lucas Moura 62, 5), Son 5, Bergwijn 6.