Chelsea get a good thrashing from Kane in Tottenham Hotspur victory

English forward scores twice in 5-1 win as Chelsea and Manchester City are tied for the Premier League lead. Jonathan Wilson reports.

Harry Kane celebrates in front of Tottenham Hotspur supporters after scoring twice against Chelsea on Thursday. Kieran Galvin / EPA

Tottenham Hotspur 5

Kane 30’, 52’, Rose 44’, Townsend 45’ (pen), Chadli 78’

Chelsea 3

Costa 18’, Hazard 61’, Terry 87’

Man of the match Harry Kane

LONDON // There was an air of disbelief that swirled around White Hart Lane on Thursday.

A brilliant game ended in victory for Tottenham, who climbed above Arsenal into fifth, and left Chelsea only level at the top of the Premier League.

A month ago it had seemed conceivable that Jose Mourinho’s side might pass unbeaten through the season, but a run of five points from five away games has seen them above Manchester City at the top of the table purely because “c” comes before “m” in the alphabet.

At the heart of it all, with two goals and two assists, was Harry Kane, confirming his status as one of the most promising young English strikers of recent years.

At first it looked like following the familiar pattern.

For the third straight game between these sides, Spurs started brightly, threatened to unsettle Chelsea and then fell behind to their opponents’ first serious attack.

As at Stamford Bridge a month ago, it was Harry Kane who was the liveliest Tottenham player, his direct running unnerving Gary Cahill. It was his cross – after a neat through-ball from Christian Eriksen – that led to Nacer Chadli’s 16th-minute effort that brought a fine save from Thibaut Courtois.

Two minutes later, though, it was Chelsea who took the lead, Eden Hazard again the architect.

He skipped by Danny Rise and beat Hugo Lloris with a low shot that rebounded to Oscar whose cross-host was turned in from close range by Diego Costa for his 14th league goal of the season.

Previous Tottenhams may have wilted then, but a doughtiness is emerging in Pochettino’s side and, on the half-hour, they equalised.

Kane cut in from the left and drilled a low shot from 25 yards just inside the post. It was a goal of great quality, his 16th of the season, although only his sixth in the Premier League and one that brought a surge of belief.

Tottenham had not beaten Chelsea in nine Premier League games but a minute before the break, Eriksen laid in Chadli and although his effort trundled against the post, Rose had sprinted 60 yards to latch into the rebound and give Spurs the lead.

A minute later, Kane was tripped in the corner of the box and Andros Townsend converted the penalty – all three first-half scorers for Spurs came through their youth system.

After so many disappointments over the years, Spurs must have had doubts but, nine minutes after the break, Kane turned by Nemanja Matic and John Terry and rolled a finish into the far corner.

Hazard pulled one back after a neat one-two with Cesc Fabregas, then Lloris saved superbly from Cesar Azpilicueta.

But with 13 minutes to go Chadli ran onto Kane’s pass, darted in from the left and made it 5-2. There was time for John Terry to pull one back and tingle the nerves, but Spurs had done enough.

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