EURO TREBLE? YES HE KANE
Harry’s quick-fire hat-trick settles Spurs nerves against minnows
NUNO ESPIRITO SANTO had insisted there was no need for Spurs to panic after a dismal run of form.
But he still had to call for the cavalry last night.
The under-fire Tottenham boss was not expecting too many palpitations against Slovenian minnows NS Mura in this UEFA Europa Conference League clash.
But after his team burst into a two-goal lead inside eight minutes, Mura got one back as Spurs yet again lost their way.
And Nuno was forced to throw on Harry Kane, HeungMin Son and Lucas Moura in the second half as his players once again threatened to fall flat on their faces.
Kane made the game safe with a second-half hat-trick. But Nuno – whose position was placed under real scrutiny after three Premier League defeats in a row, culminating in Sunday’s humbling by bitter rivals Arsenal – will not have slept much more easily after this worrying display.
Quite clearly, his second string is not good enough.
Dele Alli, hauled off at halftime in the 3-1 loss to Arsenal on Sunday, was made skipper last night. He grabbed the first goal from a penalty but was once again taken off as Spurs found themselves struggling against a team formed as recently as 2013.
Spurs could hardly have got off to a better start.
Barely two minutes had gone when Alli burst into the box and was brought down by Mura keeper Matko Obradovic. The Spurs skipper got up to ram the spot-kick home. Six minutes later Harry Winks chipped the ball forward and Giovani Lo Celso took it on his chest, surged past a defender, and rifled into the net.
Spurs were for the most part camped round the Slovenians’ penalty area. Sergio Reguilon shot over and Alli saw his 20yard rocket well saved.
Mura at that point were supposed to crumble against Tottenham’s multi-millionpound superstars and politely disappear into the night.
But such is the woeful state of Spurs at the moment that the visitors sensed a way back into the game, and what a goal it was that gave them a lifeline.
A clearance from a left-wing corner dropped to Ziga Kous on the edge of the Spurs box and he unleashed a delicious volley that flew into the net.
Suddenly Mura were buzzing around the Tottenham area as embarrassment threatened.
Nuno, who said he had not slept since the Arsenal disaster, had to turn to the big guns. And what an impact they had.
Ten minutes after coming on, Moura prodded a pass to Kane and the England striker slid home. Then Son’s low cross found Kane in the middle and he converted easily. His hattrick came with three minutes left when he slotted home from Lo Celso’s through pass.
Kane said: “We started really well but lost our way a little bit in the middle of the game. We made it hard for ourselves. But it was nice to come on and get three goals.”
LEEDS boss David O’Leary wrote off his side’s chances of glory in the UEFA Cup, depsite cruising past Partizan Belgrade. A goal by Darren Huckerby sealed a 1-0 win at Elland Road, for a 4-1 aggregate success in the first round. Leeds also equalled their best run in 26 years, with their sixth victory on the spin. But O’Leary said: “I don’t believe it is a competetion we can win. We don’t have a squad to play every Thursday and Sunday.”