Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane celebrates after scoring in their EPL match against Aston Villa at Villa Park in Birmingham on Sunday. (Photo: AFP)
Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane celebrates after scoring in their EPL match against Aston Villa at Villa Park in Birmingham on Sunday. (Photo: AFP)
Harry Kane reignited Tottenham Hotspur’s Premier League title challenge with a well-taken double as his side heaped more misery on rock-bottom Aston Villa with a 2-0 win on Sunday.
The prolific England striker took his tally to 22 goals for the season by scoring either side of half-time at Villa Park as Spurs moved to within two points of leaders Leicester City, who host Newcastle United on Monday.
It was the perfect answer for the doubters at the end of a week in which Mauricio Pochettino’s side had squandered a 2-1 lead to draw 2-2 with Arsenal in the north London derby before crashing 3-0 at Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Europa League last 16 tie.
“It was a good victory and three important points after a few games that have not been so good,” Spurs manager Pochettino told the BBC.
“We need to keep the pressure on and win games. You cannot stop the dream of the supporters and they are right to dream. But we need to work hard.”
Kane’s England team-mate Dele Alli set up both of his goals, firstly with a quickly taken free-kick on the cusp of half-time and then with a burst down the left wing in the 48th minute.
Spurs exerted pressure on the Villa defence from the outset and should have gone ahead as early as the third minute.
Erik Lamela threaded a pass through to Kane, but while he timed his run perfectly, his chip over the advancing Brad Guzan was too heavy and he watched in anguish as it clipped the top of the bar.
The first threat from Villa came when Jordan Veretout produced a penetrating run down the right, but Rudy Gestede could not make clean contact with his cross.
