BIRMINGHAM, April 10: Son Heung-min scored a sensational hat trick as Tottenham took control of the race for a Premier League top-four spot with a 4-0 win at Aston Villa on Saturday.
Son’s treble and Dejan Kulusevski’s strike sent Spurs three points clear in fourth place.
It was a fourth win in a row and seventh from the last nine for Tottenham.
After Son’s third-minute opener, Tottenham was under pressure for most of the first half, with the Frenchman’s heroics keeping a rampant Villa at bay.
Arsenal lost 2-1 at home to Brighton after United was beaten 1-0 at Everton.
Spurs could not have dreamed of a better start. Kane’s drilled shot hit Matty Cash in the midriff and fell perfectly to Son, who smashed a fine first-time effort into the bottom corner.
The hosts were all over Spurs and the chances kept on coming. Lloris was the busiest player on the pitch and had to keep out Coutinho’s free kick at the near post as he ended the first half with seven saves to his name.
Just five minutes after the restart, Spurs doubled their lead. Kane flicked on Lloris’ long ball into the path of Kulusevski and the Swede did brilliantly to fire a low shot across goal and into the far corner in the 50th.
Spurs landed a killer blow in the 66th as the Kane-Son partnership delivered again.
It was Kane’s brilliant awareness that set Son clear, knowing exactly where to direct his headed flick from the center of the field, and the South Korean ran clear and coolly converted past Emi Martinez.
Son completed his hat trick five minutes later, putting the finishing touches to a brilliant team move.
Kane and Son combined to play Kulusevski in down the right and, after a mazy run, he cut back to Son, who swept home a finish in style to claim the match ball.
Leicester City vs Palace
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scored his first Premier League goal as Leicester beat Crystal Palace 2-1 Sunday.
The midfielder held off Cheikhou Koyate before firing in his third goal of the season just before the break.
Dewsbury-Hall provided an assist for Ademola Lookman’s opener in the 39th.
Norwich City vs Burnley
Burnley lost 2-0 to bottom club Norwich at Carrow Road on Sunday.
Pierre Lees-Melou opened the scoring for Norwich in the ninth minute before Teemu Pukki added a second in the 86th.
Brentford vs West Ham
Bryan Mbeumo and Ivan Toney combined to clinch a 2-0 win over West Ham on Sunday. Their second-half goals lifted the west London team 12 points clear of the Premier League relegation zone. (AP)
