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Burnley - Tottenham breathed fresh life into the Premier League title race as Eric Dier and Son Heung-Min inspired a 2-0 win over Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday.
With Chelsea surprisingly losing 2-1 at home to Crystal
Palace, Mauricio Pochettino's second placed side closed the gap to seven points
on the leaders to set up an enthralling last six weeks of the season.
England international Dier opened the scoring midway through
the second half and South Korea forward Son sealed the points soon after.
Spurs arrived in Lancashire trying to catch Chelsea while
also stealing a march on Manchester City, who do not play until Sunday, as the
race to secure Champions League qualification gathers pace and they departed
with both targets still in reach.
Without star striker Harry Kane, injured in their FA Cup quarter-final win over Millwall last month, question have been asked about Tottenham's potency and urgency up front.
But Dele Alli has been in lethal form recently and so Spurs
looked to him and Vincent Janssen to damage Burnley.
However, early on in this contest, Spurs had little interest
in getting forward and opted to start the game with five at the back, hoping to
douse any early Burnley attacks.
Fortunately for them, few were forthcoming as both sides
struggled to find any momentum in the first half.
The opening period remained woeful until Spurs finally awoke
close to the half hour mark as Alli squandered a glorious opportunity.
After putting Christian Eriksen through on goal down the
left wing, Tom Heaton saved Eriksen's low drive but parried right into the path
of Alli, who blasted over when it appeared far easier to slide the ball into
the empty net.
Burnley became more direct and dangerous, although Hugo
Lloris remained relatively untroubled in the Spurs goal.
Spurs were not helped by the loss of Victor Wanyama and Harry Winks - the latter stretchered from the pitch after colliding with firstly Stephen Ward and then an icebox close to the Burnley dugout.
After the restart, both sides seemed more sprightly and direct and Janssen rifled one low shot at Heaton, who did well to block that effort and the rebound which fell at the feet of Moussa Sissoko.
Soon after, Ben Davies also forced Heaton into a decent save as Spurs looked to twist the knife.
After 66 minutes, their superiority was handsomely rewarded
as Dier slotted home from six yards out after react quickest to a loose ball in
the area following a corner.
That goal gave Spurs the confidence and freedom to pour
forward at will as they looked to put the result beyond doubt, something they
managed to do with aplomb with 13 minutes remaining.
Alli, as fast and threatening as always, produced a fine
ball for Son who could not miss from six yards out, slotting into an empty net
as Heaton scrambled across.
A fascinating end to the Premier League season could now be in store if Spurs remain as determined and as impressive as they were here.
