A HAT-TRICK from Harry Kane ensured Tottenham moved above Arsenal into fifth place in the Premier League with a 3-0 win over Burnley on Saturday.
Kane’s treble was enough to give Spurs their first back-to-back wins at Turf Moor for 92 years and lift them above Sean Dyche’s side and the Gunners in the standings.
The clash represented a difficult prospect for Mauricio Pochettino’s men after their chastening 4-1 loss to Manchester City last week, but they were the stronger team for the majority of the game and should really have added more goals in between Kane’s first two.
They took control when the England international scored from the spot in only the seventh minute after Dele Alli had been fouled and, although Burnley enjoyed a good 20-minute spell in the middle of the match, they rarely had Hugo Lloris troubled in the visiting goal.
Kane at last produced a composed finish after Moussa Sissoko and Son Heung-min had wasted one-on-one opportunities to make the points safe, firing low into the net on the counter-attack.
The 24-year-old completed his treble with an emphatic left-footed finish with 11 minutes left to make the points secure and move onto 36 Premier League goals for 2017, level with the calendar-year record set by Alan Shearer in 1995.
Spurs are now only a point behind fourth-place Liverpool and two above Burnley, who sit seventh after suffering only their fifth league defeat of the season.
Alli was lucky to escape a red card in the defeat to Manchester City and he was perhaps fortunate only to be booked after just four minutes in Lancashire, when he lunged into a challenge on Charlie Taylor.
Burnley fans were further incensed when Alli was brought down by Kevin Long just two minutes later, allowing Kane to dispatch his penalty high into the net and put Spurs in front.
Kane shot inches wide after an Alli shot deflected into his path and Sissoko was denied by Nick Pope with 22 minutes played, but the visitors’ dominance began to wane towards the end of the half as Burnley began to threaten.
The hosts continued their good spell after the break but they were given two real let-offs by Spurs on the break, First, Son blazed over from barely eight yards out after Serge Aurier set him up completely unmarked, before Kane overhit a simple pass to Christian Eriksen when Burnley had only one covering defender.
But with 68 minutes played, Spurs at last doubled their lead. Sissoko intercepted the ball near the halfway line and sent a fine throughball to Kane, who kept his composure to slot beneath Pope from inside the penalty area.
Kane closed to within one goal of a new milestone in the Premier League when he completed his seventh hat-trick of the year in all competitions, collecting Alli’s pass before drilling low across Pope’s goal and into the bottom-right corner in stylish fashion.
He will surpass Shearer’s 22-year record with a goal against Southampton at Wembley on Boxing Day, when Spurs will seek a fourth home win in a row in all competitions.
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Fantastic results for Spurs. Burnley are not easy to score against.
Wouldn’t bet against them finishing top London club.
@Adrian Costigan: I would. They won’t finish above Chelsea.
@Sloop John G: long way to go still. Teams under city have either been amazing or very underwhelming…
@Sloop John G: what Graham said. Chelsea sometimes struggle against teams that sit back. They’ve still not replaced Costa. United still have to hit a bad streak. Five or six teams playing for three places. City will go the season unbeaten
Weren’t Spurs supposed to be in crisis last week? Can’t keep up with this game.
@Al-Macca: Crisis what Crisis? COYS
One season wonder
Kane you utter shitebag I kept faith with you as my FF captain for weeks and you’ve done squat but as soon as I change it ………
@Johnny Bravo: he has a bounce game week coming up. Triple captain him
@Pj Windgap: double*
@Johnny Bravo: c’mon Johnny, you know the moment you change, this crap always happens, you should have known he was due to click as well… Delle Alli has been the major disappointing one…
@Graham: very true
@Pj Windgap: it a tough one , City at Newcastle too that could be a hiding and with Silva and Sterling flying
the man is unstoppable though we rely too much on him.Hes the one player maybe with Toby that is worth double what he’s on right now.Others at that club think they worth that
@Michael cunnane: that’s why he’ll be in Europe soon. Spurs need to break pay structure or keep signing Arsenal rejects.
Sanchez was back. He’s 21.