Tottenham Hotspur 3, Everton 2: Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino tips his side for glory after they set new record
Tottenham Hotspur 3, Everton 2
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino believes his team are on the threshold of an era of success after they set a new club record for consecutive Premier League wins at White Hart Lane on Sunday.
Strike Harry Kane struck twice to take his tally to 14 goals in 12 matches while midfielder Dele Alli deftly added Tottenham’s third, after Romelu Lukaku had given Everton hope of a late comeback.
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It earned Spurs a ninth home win in succession in the competition, lifted them to within seven points of leaders Chelsea and, for Pochettino, underlined that they are destined for further garlands.
“It’s another fantastic achievement for that group. We feel very proud of that,” he said.
“We start to make history with that group. I think it’s only the start of the good things that are coming in the future.
“We played very well. In the end we deserved the victory, we did fantastic and I am very happy for the performance.”
Pochettino also praised the in-form Kane, who leads the top-flight scoring charts with 19 and was only denied a third hat-trick in four games by two point-blank saves by Joel Robles.
“For me Harry is one of the best. When he scores and when he doesn’t I have the same opinion of him,” he added. “Today he was fantastic, he deserved all the praise and it is fantastic that he is in our side.”
It was a first league defeat for Everton, who remain seventh, since 19 December and the scoreline could have been more emphatic, but for Enner Valencia’s late consolation strike and wayward Spurs finishing.
Kane needed just 20 minutes to continue his hot streak, the England forward dropping deep to collect the ball before turning and lashing in from 25 yards past a wrong-footed Robles.
He saw a close-range effort saved moments later, while Christian Eriksen slotted just wide and fellow midfielder Victor Wanyama hit the post as rampant Spurs overran Everton.
Kane duly got his second on 56 minutes when Alli dispossessed Toffees defender Ashley Williams and fed his team-mate, who tucked a low finish past Robles.
Tottenham looked to be coasting to a third win from four games until nine minutes from time, when Lukaku shrugged off Jan Vertonghen and fired low across Hugo Lloris.
Alli re-established the hosts’s two-goal lead in stoppage time when he darted onto a quick free-kick from substitute Harry Winks and helped the ball past Robles and into the far corner with the faintest of prods.
There was still time for Everton to score again, however, when Valencia capitalised on lax defending to sweep in a first-time shot from Ross Barkley’s deep free-kick.