Premier League

SPURS 4 (Bale 25, 49, Kane 52, 76)
CRYSTAL PALACE 1 (Benteke 45+1)

SPURS are dragging themselves back into top four contention – and after seeing off Crystal Palace tonight (Sunday) courtesy of doubles from Harry Kane and Gareth Bale, Champions League qualification no longer seems impossible.

A winter of stodgy fare had caused fans to bellyache – but as the spring run-in takes shape, Jose Mourinho’s team are serving up tastier stuff.

Having taken maximum points from Burnley and Fulham, Tottenham’s fantasy football frontmen shared the load tonight at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – and Kane’s first on 52 minutes was a truly special moment.

The England forward instinctively hit an effort from distance that was as clean a strike as is physically possible – and as well as settling nerves as it gave Spurs a 3-1 lead, it also gave this important win a wow factor.

Speaking after the game, manager Mourinho said he was pleased to see how his team dominated, and responded, to an unlikely Palace equaliser.

He said: “It was good, enthusiastic. Between 35 to 46 minutes we lost a bit of control, we gave them the ball and chances, crosses, corners and for me, their goal was the consequence of that loss of control.

“The first-half was not bad at all – but the second-half was really good to start like we did. Conceding a late goal normally has negative consequences. But that did not happen.”

Mourinho has often stated that he needs a squad of 24 players who provide like for like replacements to tackle fixture snarl ups.

This was their fourth game in 10 days, and Dele Alli and Tanguy Ndombele stepped aside for Harry Winks and Lucas Moura. Their absence did not cause concern, and neither were called on to help get Spurs over the line.

With the north Londoners playing a Europa League tie against Dinamo Zagreb this Thursday before traveling to Arsenal on Sunday, Mourinho can be pleased he managed to rest such vital components.

He added: “Lots of matches, lots of minutes. Sometimes you can be a bit tired, so you need fresh legs, players who did not start two days ago.

“We have good attacking players and they allow me to do what I did today. Dele, who played well against Fulham, I could rest. We are a team with a lot of talent in these areas.”

Those chosen repaid the faith from the off. On five, Bale’s speed earned him breathing space on the ball. He left two Palace defenders floundering with a neat bit of footwork and laid a pass on a plate for Heung-Min Son. The forward should have buried it – but instead headed tamely into Palace keeper Vicente Guaita’s hands.

It was an early sign that Palace were in for a tough night, and the break through came on 25. Moura upset the apple cart as Palace’s centre-backs tried to play their way out of danger. His hustle saw the ball fall for Kane, who drew defenders towards him before picking out Bale, who tapped home.

After creating the first goal through his snap and crackle, Moura nearly worked himself in on 35: a dash past three was brought to a halt by Gary Cahill’s foul, which earned the Palace defender a yellow card.

Spurs were in control, with Hugo Lloris having little to do – and then, disaster. In stoppage-time, a hopeful ball from the right saw Christian Benteke get in front of Toby Alderweireld to head home.

But no one had told Bale this was meant to be a morale-sapping equaliser. Minutes into the second-half, the Welshman fired a cross-field pass to Sergio Reguilon. The full-back picked out Kane rising at the back post, and his header back across the face of goal saw Bale quickest – and bravest – to react to make it 2-1.

Guaita was picking the ball out of the net two minutes later: another sequence of Bale instigated chances saw Matt Doherty cut the ball back from deep. Kane, on the edge of the box and at an angle, needed no second invitation. His thunderous first-time strike is a contender for goal of the season.

Spurs soaked up whatever was thrown at them and Kane made it four on 76 when he bundled home Son’s cross.

This comprehensive win is just the sort of tonic needed in March. With Bale and Kane in this type of form, bridging the two-point gap between Spurs and Chelsea in fourth looks on.

Spurs: Lloris, Doherty, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Reguilon, Hojbjerg, Winks (Sissoko, 70), Bale (Lamela, 70), Moura, Kane (Vinicius, 79), Son
Substitutes not used: Hart, Dier, Alli, Bergwijn, Ndombele, Davies

Crystal Palace: Guaita, Ward, van Aanholt, Kouyate, Cahill, Townsend (Schlupp, 64), Milivojevic, Ayew, Benteke (Mateta, 73), Eze (Zaha, 45) Riedewald
Substitutes not used: Butland, Dann, Wickham, Batshuayi, Kelly, Hannam