Harry Kane made a surprisingly speedy return from injury to solve Tottenham’s scoring struggles and pile more misery on West Bromwich Albion.
Spurs boss Jose Mourinho had suggested the England captain’s ankle issues would sideline him until next week but Kane came back ahead of schedule to help end Tottenham’s three-game losing streak in the Premier League.
Tottenham had failed to score in both matches Kane had missed but he took Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s through ball into his stride to slot home and break stubborn Albion’s rearguard resistance early in the second half.
It was Kane’s 13th Premier League goal of the season, taking him ahead of strike partner Son Heung-min for all of four minutes until the South Korea striker sealed Spurs’ victory with an emphatic finish from Lucas Moura’s pass.
Victory moved Spurs up two places to seventh, four points off the Champions League places, although that position and gap could change later on Sunday with Chelsea and Liverpool in action.
West Brom remain 19th and 11 points behind 17th-placed Burnley despite an improved defensive display.
Recent loan signing Mbaye Diagne was unlucky not to register his first Baggies goal on three occasions. The Senegal striker’s first-half header forced a fine save from Spurs skipper Hugo Lloris and he also saw two second-half finishes ruled out for offside.
More to follow.
Player of the match
HøjbjergPierre-Emile Højbjerg
West Bromwich Albion
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Squad number30Player nameMaitland-Niles
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Squad number1Player nameJohnstone
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Squad number12Player nameMatheus Pereira
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Squad number18Player nameGallagher
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Squad number5Player nameBartley
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Squad number17Player nameDiagne
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Squad number23Player nameSnodgrass
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Squad number14Player nameTownsend
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Squad number6Player nameAjayi
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Squad number35Player nameYokuslu
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Squad number22Player namePeltier
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Squad number29Player nameGrant
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Squad number10Player namePhillips
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Squad number19Player nameSawyers
Line-ups
Tottenham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Lloris
- 24AurierSubstituted forDohertyat 68′minutes
- 6D Sánchez
- 4Alderweireld
- 33Davies
- 28Ndombele
- 5Højbjerg
- 11LamelaBooked at 64minsSubstituted forBergwijnat 74′minutes
- 27Lucas Moura
- 7Son Heung-MinSubstituted forScarlettat 90+3′minutes
- 10Kane
Substitutes
- 2Doherty
- 9Bale
- 12Hart
- 14Rodon
- 15Dier
- 17Sissoko
- 23Bergwijn
- 45Alves Morais
- 53Scarlett
West Brom
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1Johnstone
- 22Peltier
- 6Ajayi
- 5Bartley
- 14Townsend
- 19SawyersSubstituted forYokusluat 78′minutes
- 23SnodgrassBooked at 77minsSubstituted forCosta Pereiraat 80′minutes
- 30Maitland-Niles
- 18GallagherBooked at 90mins
- 29GrantSubstituted forPhillipsat 69′minutes
- 17Diagne
Substitutes
- 2Furlong
- 4Robson-Kanu
- 7Robinson
- 8Livermore
- 10Phillips
- 12Costa Pereira
- 25Button
- 27O’Shea
- 35Yokuslu
Live Text
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Match ends, Tottenham Hotspur 2, West Bromwich Albion 0.
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Second Half ends, Tottenham Hotspur 2, West Bromwich Albion 0.
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Conor Gallagher (West Bromwich Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Davinson Sánchez (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Conor Gallagher (West Bromwich Albion).
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Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Dane Scarlett replaces Son Heung-Min.
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Foul by Davinson Sánchez (Tottenham Hotspur).
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Mbaye Diagne (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Attempt missed. Semi Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion) with an attempt from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Matheus Pereira following a set piece situation.
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Foul by Lucas Moura (Tottenham Hotspur).
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Conor Gallagher (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur).
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Ainsley Maitland-Niles (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Lucas Moura (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Okay Yokuslu (West Bromwich Albion).
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Offside, West Bromwich Albion. Matheus Pereira tries a through ball, but Mbaye Diagne is caught offside.
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Attempt missed. Okay Yokuslu (West Bromwich Albion) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Matt Phillips with a cross following a set piece situation.
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Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. Matheus Pereira replaces Robert Snodgrass.
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Foul by Davinson Sánchez (Tottenham Hotspur).
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Mbaye Diagne (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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